Air India to Resume Cancelled Flights Progressively from Tuesday as Some Airspaces Reopen
Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, June 24: Air India has announced a phased resumption of flights to the Middle East, Europe, Canada, and United States as airspaces in parts of the Middle East begin to reopen.
Air India said on Tuesday that most of the operations would resume from Wednesday but many of the operations would be reinstated from Tuesday itself hours after Israel opened its air space. Israel took the decision after it reached a ceasefire agreement with Iran, potentially ending a 12-day war.
“Flights to and from Europe, previously cancelled, are also being progressively reinstated from today, while services to and from the East Coast of the U.S. and Canada will resume at the earliest opportunity,” the airlines said in a statement.
On Monday, Air India temporarily suspended operations to these regions in the wake of the rising tensions in the West Asia. Some countries in the region had also closed their airspaces. “Some flights may experience delays or cancellations due to consequential impacts and extended re-routings/flight times, but we are committed to minimising disruptions and our restoring schedule integrity. “Air India will continue to avoid airspaces assessed as unsafe at any given time,” the airline said.
Air India also announced their flights to and from Europe, which were previously cancelled, and flights to East Coast of United States and Canada would be gradually reopened starting Tuesday. Services connecting the East Coast of the United States and Canada are set to resume at the earliest opportunity, although exact dates have yet to be confirmed.
“Flights to and from Europe, previously cancelled, are also being progressively reinstated from today, while services to and from the East Coast of the US and Canada will resume at the earliest opportunity.”, Air India Spokesperson said.
Air India on Monday announced it was ceasing “all operations to the region as well as to and from the East Coast of North America and Europe immediately until further notice. The airline, which is still reeling from a plane crash that killed at least 270 people earlier this month, added that India-bound flights from North America were being diverted or rerouted away from closed airspaces.
The Air India spokesperson cautioned that some flights might face delays or cancellations due to extended re-routings and longer flight times caused by ongoing airspace restrictions. “We are committed to minimising disruptions and restoring our schedule integrity,” the spokesperson said.
The airline emphasised that it would continue to avoid any airspaces deemed unsafe at any given time, prioritising the safety and security of passengers, staff, and aircraft. Passengers will be kept informed of any updates as the situation evolves.
Air India Express also followed suit and announced resumption of flights. “Air India Express is progressively resuming its operations to the Middle East from today, 24 June, as airspaces in the region reopen. Our first flight to the region today will be on the Delhi–Muscat route, followed by services on the Mumbai–Muscat, Kozhikode–Muscat, Kozhikode–Riyadh, and Jaipur–Jeddah routes.
Air India Express flights to and from key cities in the UAE — including Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Al Ain, and Ras Al Khaimah — as well as other cities in the Middle East, have been scheduled from Wednesday, the airline’s spokesperson said.
