With things getting tense in the Middle East, Indian airlines IndiGo and Air India have hit the brakes on many of their flights in the region. The move comes right after Iran launched missiles at a U.S. base in Qatar—retaliating for recent strikes on its nuclear facilities.
Now, both airlines are playing it safe and watching the situation closely before sending their planes back into the air.
IndiGo Grounds Flights, Then Slowly Starts Up Again
On Tuesday morning, IndiGo temporarily suspended flights to and from several major cities across the Middle East—including Dubai, Doha, Jeddah, Abu Dhabi, and more. The suspension was in place at least until 10:00 am, and the airline called it a “proactive safety measure.”
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the airline said,
“As airports across the Middle East gradually reopen, we are prudently and progressively resuming operations on these routes.”
IndiGo also assured passengers it was choosing the safest flight paths and asked travelers to stay updated via their website or app.
“We understand the impact this may have on your travel plans and sincerely regret the inconvenience,” the airline added.
Passengers can rebook or request a full refund, and IndiGo is urging everyone to keep their contact details updated so they don’t miss any alerts.
Air India Cancels Flights to Middle East, North America, and Europe
Air India took things a step further by suspending all flights to the Middle East, the East Coast of North America, and parts of Europe—and it’s for safety reasons.
The airline said that some North America-bound flights were forced to turn back or reroute, and flights from India to those regions are on hold until further notice.
In a statement, the airline said:
“Amid the developing situation in the Middle East, Air India has ceased all operations to the region… until further notice.”
A spokesperson added that Air India is in constant touch with security experts and aviation authorities, and the safety of passengers and crew is their top priority.
Emirates Keeps Flying, But With Caution
While IndiGo and Air India pulled back, Dubai-based Emirates decided to keep flying—but with caution. The airline confirmed that it had rerouted some flights on June 23, though it didn’t cancel any.
After reviewing the risks, Emirates continued operating on schedule but warned passengers there may be delays because of longer routes and busy airspace.
The airline advised travelers to double-check their flight status before heading to the airport and to reach out to travel agents if they need to rebook.
Why the Sudden Disruptions?
The changes come right after Iran fired missiles at the Al-Udeid U.S. Air Base in Qatar, which is used by the U.S. military. According to Iranian officials, this was a direct response to America joining forces with Israel and attacking Iran’s nuclear sites.
Iran’s top security body said they used the same number of bombs that the U.S. had used during their own attacks. A Reuters report said the base that was targeted was far from any city or residential areas, and Iran made it clear that it wasn’t trying to threaten Qatar, calling the country a “friendly and brotherly” neighbor.
Trump Claims Ceasefire—But Iran Says Not So Fast
Adding to the confusion, U.S. President Donald Trump went on his platform Truth Social to claim that he had helped broker a “complete and total ceasefire” between Iran and Israel.
He wrote, “CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERYONE! It has been fully agreed by and between Israel and Iran that there will be a Complete and Total CEASEFIRE… for 12 hours… and upon the 24th Hour, an Official END to THE 12 DAY WAR will be saluted by the World.”
But Iran wasn’t on the same page. Officials in Tehran quickly said there was no agreement yet, and they’re waiting to see if Israel stops its attacks before making any final call.
Both IndiGo and Air India are asking passengers to keep checking their apps or websites for updates. If your flight’s been canceled or rerouted, you can rebook or request a refund. And don’t forget to update your contact info to get alerts right away.
Also Read: US-Iran Conflict: Where All Does The US Have Military Bases In Middle East? Explained
