March 16, 2026 : Amid rising tensions in West Asia following the ongoing conflict involving Israel, the United States and Iran, Indian airlines are continuing flight operations to help passengers travel between India and the Gulf region. Air India and Air India Express together will operate 48 flights to and from West Asia today.

According to a press release issued by Air India, the flights include 10 services connecting Indian cities with Jeddah and 12 flights operating to and from Muscat. Air India will operate one return service each from Delhi and Mumbai to Jeddah. Air India Express will run one flight each from Bengaluru, Kozhikode and Mangalore to the Saudi city.

Air India Express is also operating 12 scheduled services to and from Muscat. These include one flight each from Delhi, Kannur, Mumbai and Thiruvananthapuram, while Kochi will have two services.

Meanwhile, SpiceJet is operating special flights from Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates to India, along with an additional special service from Dubai to Pune to support passengers affected by the disruptions.

Qatar Airways has also announced flights connecting Indian cities such as New Delhi, Mumbai and Kochi to facilitate the travel of stranded Indian nationals in the region.

Gulf Air said some of its flights are being routed through King Fahd International Airport in Dammam after Bahrain temporarily closed its airspace.

Due to restrictions in the airspace over Iran and Iraq, several flights are taking longer alternative routes, leading to extended travel times. In response, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has temporarily relaxed flight duty time limitations for Air India pilots to accommodate the increased flying hours.

Airlines have advised passengers to check their flight status before heading to the airport, as schedules may change depending on the evolving security situation in the region.