NEW DELHI: Airlines from India operating to West Asia continue to run limited services due to rising geopolitical tensions in the region.
Air India Express, one of the largest operators between India and the Gulf with around 110 flights daily, said it will continue operating 12 flights to and from Muscat, connecting Delhi, Kochi, Kozhikode, Mangaluru, Mumbai and Tiruchirappalli.
“In the interest of passenger safety, we will not operate the bulk of our services to the Middle East this week. We hope to resume them by March 10,” a source said.
Air India Express operated three special flights on Thursday from Ras Al Khaimah to Kochi, Mumbai and Delhi. In addition, it operated two special flights, one from Dubai and another from Sharjah.
Air India said it continues to operate its regular services to and from Jeddah, apart from a few special flights.
Akasa Air said it operated a pair of flights on March 5 and will operate another pair on March 6. These are QP 561 (Mumbai–Jeddah) and QP 562 (Jeddah–Mumbai).
“Flights to and from Abu Dhabi, Doha, Riyadh and Kuwait will remain suspended until March 7,” a spokesperson said.
SpiceJet operated 13 special flights from the UAE. “Of these, 12 flights were operated from Fujairah and one from Dubai. The airline operated seven special flights to Mumbai, five to Delhi and one from Dubai to Mumbai,” it said in a statement.
Emirates, in a statement, said it is currently operating a reduced flight schedule until further notice following the partial reopening of regional airspace for the safe conduct of commercial flights.
More than 100 Emirates flights will depart from Dubai to various global destinations on March 5 and 6.
“These flights will carry passengers eager to reach their final destinations, as well as essential cargo such as perishables and pharmaceuticals,” the airline said.
“Emirates will continue to gradually restore its schedule, subject to airspace availability and operational requirements being met. Safety remains our top priority.
“We will continue to monitor the situation and adapt our operations accordingly,” it added.