Over 100 flights cancelled at Delhi airport over airspace curbs amid US-Israel-Iran conflict

The West Asian region remained tense on Sunday as missiles flew across it after the US and Israel attacked Iran, and the Islamic republic retaliated.

Delhi airport, the country’s busiest aviation hub, said in a statement that the cancellations were largely on west-bound international sectors, and advised passengers to check with airlines for updated schedules. Several long-haul and West Asia-bound services were affected.

Earlier in the day, the Ministry of Civil Aviation had said that due to airspace restrictions from geopolitical developments in West Asia, a total of 350 flights operated by domestic carriers have been cancelled on Sunday.

“The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is maintaining close coordination with airlines to ensure full compliance with safety and operational regulations,” the ministry stated.

IndiGo cancelled multiple flights from Delhi on Sunday, citing “airspace restriction”. These include services to Ras Al Khaimah, Kuwait, Doha, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Athens, Manchester, Jeddah, Riyadh, and Dammam.

The airline also suspended select international flights that use the West Asian airspace till 11:59 pm on March 2.

Air India cancelled a number of international departures from Delhi scheduled for Sunday. These include flights to London (Heathrow), Birmingham, Amsterdam, Zurich, Milan, Vienna, Copenhagen, Frankfurt, New York (JFK), Chicago (via Vienna), Toronto (via Vienna), and Paris.

The airline said the cancellations are part of a continuing assessment of the evolving situation in West Asia, with safety remaining the priority. It added that affected passengers are being notified and offered alternative options.

SpiceJet said that all flights to and from the UAE scheduled for March 2 remain cancelled.

Meanwhile, Flightradar24 on Sunday wrote on X: “More than 3,400 flights have been cancelled today across seven airports in the Middle East (DXB, DOH, AUH, SHJ, KWI, BAH, DWC), as many airspaces remain closed for security reasons.”