Middle East airspace curbs disrupt travel; 444 flights likely to be cancelled today

The fallout from the recent US-Israel strikes on Iran has sent shockwaves through global aviation, with widespread airspace closures across the Middle East forcing hundreds of flight cancellations and major operational disruptions.

India’s Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) said on Sunday that domestic carriers were significantly impacted due to restrictions over Iranian airspace and adjoining regions.

“Due to airspace restrictions over Iran and parts of the Middle East, 410 flights of domestic carriers were cancelled on 28 February, and 444 flights are expected to be cancelled on 1 March,” the ministry said.

The MoCA added that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is working closely with airlines to ensure strict adherence to safety and operational regulations. “DGCA is maintaining close coordination with airlines to ensure full compliance with safety and operational regulations. Passengers are advised to check and confirm their flight status with the respective airlines before proceeding to the airport,” the statement read.

Major airports across the country have been placed on operational alert to handle possible diversions and manage passenger flow. Senior officials have been deployed on the ground to oversee airline coordination, terminal crowd management and passenger assistance.

The ministry also noted that its Passenger Assistance Control Room is actively addressing complaints. On February 28, the AirSewa platform registered 216 grievances, of which 105 were resolved the same day to support affected travellers.

The disruption follows sweeping airspace closures after the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran early Saturday. Countries including Israel, Qatar, Syria, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait and Bahrain shut their skies, while the United Arab Emirates announced a temporary and partial closure.

According to flight-tracking platform Flightradar24, flight activity over the UAE dropped to zero following the announcement. The cascading closures halted operations at major regional hubs in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha, prompting more than 1,000 cancellations by leading Middle Eastern airlines.

As a result, hundreds of thousands of passengers were stranded or rerouted, with key air corridors linking Europe, Africa and the West to Asia severely disrupted.