Delhi Airport alert: Some westbound international flights may face delays amid West Asia crisis

Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport on Friday issued an advisory to passengers, noting that, due to the ongoing situation in the Middle East, some westbound international flights may face delays or schedule changes.

“Passengers are advised to check the latest updates with their respective airlines before heading to the airport,” the Delhi Airport said in a social media post on X.

The IGI Airport has urged passengers to visit the official website www.newdelhiairport.in for real-time flight information.

For immigration assistance, passengers can write to the FRRO at afrro.igia@nic.in

“All other flights are operating as scheduled,” said the Delhi Airport.

The conflict in West Asia is intensifying following the joint US-Israeli strikes that resulted in the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other high-ranking officials on February 28.

In retaliation, Tehran targeted American and Israeli military positions throughout the region. Recently, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced further escalations in its ongoing counter-offensive, labeled "Operation True Promise 4." The IRGC confirmed it executed the "37th wave" of this military campaign late Tuesday night, utilizing heavy missile strikes.

Emirates’ Dubai-Chennai flight delayed amid West Asia conflict

An Emirates flight from Dubai reached Chennai International Airport early Friday morning, experiencing a one-hour delay following a postponed departure.

According to passengers, flight EK 0542 was held at Dubai airport due to essential air clearance procedures prompted by rising tensions in the West Asian region.

Despite the initial scheduling setback, the aircraft completed its journey and landed safely in Chennai.

A passenger, Sumana, told ANI that her journey from Abu Dhabi to Chennai was safe, though the flight's take-off was delayed.

"Though there were some noises, we were all safe. The flight took off late but landed safely in Chennai," she said.

Airlines raise fares, fuel surcharges

On Tuesday, Air India announced a gradual rollout of fuel surcharges across its domestic and international network, stating the move was unavoidable due to surging jet fuel costs linked to Middle Eastern geopolitical tensions.

The carrier stated that aviation turbine fuel (ATF) constitutes nearly 40% of its total operating expenses. Since early March 2026, ATF prices have risen sharply following major supply disruptions, placing significant financial pressure on the airline’s economic stability during this volatile period.

"In India, this pressure is amplified by high Excise Duty and VAT on ATF in major metro cities such as Delhi and Mumbai, magnifying cost... and placing substantial strain on airline operating economics," the statement said.

Carriers across Europe and Asia are raising airfares and implementing fuel surcharges as the conflict involving Iran causes volatile oil price fluctuations and fuels concerns over potential jet-fuel shortages.

Demand for alternative flight paths that avoid Middle Eastern airspace is climbing, further driving up ticket costs.

According to aviation analytics firm Cirium Ltd., the scale of the disruption is significant, with over 43,000 scheduled flights to and from the Middle East canceled between February 28 and March 10 as airlines navigate the worsening regional security crisis, reported Bloomberg.