CHENNAI: Amid escalating tensions in West Asia, at least 20 flights to and from the Middle East have been cancelled, leaving hundreds of passengers stranded, according to officials at Chennai International Airport.
Flights operated by IndiGo, Air India, Emirates, Etihad Airways, Gulf Air, Oman Air and Akasa Air were among those affected, airport sources said. Both arrivals and departures were hit, disrupting services on key routes linking Chennai with Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha, Bahrain and Muscat — corridors vital for business travel, migrant workers and transit passengers.
IndiGo cancelled multiple services connecting Chennai with Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha, including late-night arrivals and early-morning departures. Air India called off its Dubai–Chennai and Chennai–Dubai flights scheduled for the early hours of February 28, as well as an evening departure the same day. Gulf carriers Etihad Airways and Gulf Air suspended operations on the Abu Dhabi and Bahrain sectors.
The disruption extended beyond scheduled cancellations. One Oman Air flight bound for Muscat was forced to return to Chennai shortly after take-off, airport officials said.
By early evening, at least three inbound services — including flights from Dubai and Abu Dhabi — had been cancelled, while six outbound flights later in the night were scrubbed. The Middle East accounts for a significant share of Chennai airport’s international traffic, raising concerns that prolonged instability could spill over into passenger flows, cargo movement and airline scheduling.
Airlines said they were working to mitigate the impact on passengers. Air India said it was offering rebooking options and customer support through its service channels. Emirates said it was coordinating closely with aviation authorities and adjusting operations in line with regulatory guidance, adding that affected customers would be offered alternative travel arrangements, refunds or rebooking. Oman Air confirmed that several flights had been delayed or suspended and advised passengers to check flight status updates before heading to the airport.
Separately, Qatar Airways temporarily halted all flights to and from Doha following the closure of Qatari airspace. The carrier said it had deployed additional ground staff at Hamad International Airport and other hubs to assist stranded passengers, warning that schedule disruptions could persist even after services resume.
