Flight Status March 4 Highlights: 5 Gulf flights cancelled at Kolkata airport; 34 cancellations in Bengaluru

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Around 180 flights from three metro airports, ”Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru, ”were cancelled on Wednesday owing to airspace restrictions amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, PTI reported.

Air India on Wednesday said it plans to commence its scheduled operations to and from Jeddah to Delhi and Mumbai from March 5.

The airline in a post on X also said it is closely monitoring the evolving situation in the Middle East.

"While most of our operations to the Middle East will remain suspended till 2359 hours IST of March 5 after careful assessment of the current situation, Air India plans to commence its scheduled operations to and from Jeddah from 5 March," the airline said.

Two of Israel's airlines said they would start to resume flights to Ben Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv as the country's airspace is expected to gradually reopen later on Wednesday, Reuters reported.

Minutes after the US attacked Iran along with Israel on February 28, hundreds of flights were cancelled and many were redirected to avoid the airspace that was seeing heightened action.

As many as 1200 flights have so far been impacted, according to Flightradar24.

IndiGo on Wednesday said it cancelled over 500 flights to the Middle East and select international destinations from February 28 to March 3 due to the evolving airspace restrictions over Iran and other Gulf countries, PTI reported.

Passengers who were stranded in Dubai for six days arrived at Terminal 3 of the international airport in New Delhi, where emotional family reunions unfolded on their return. In a touching moment, family members applied Holi colours on the returning passengers, turning the airport into a scene of festivity and relief.

Air India has announced an extension of its flexible travel policy in view of the continuing situation in West Asia, offering additional support to passengers affected by the disruption.

In a statement, the airline said it is broadening the scope of its waiver policy to allow more travellers to either reschedule their journey without charge or opt for a full refund.

Who is eligible for the waiver?

According to the airline, the revised policy now covers passengers who made their bookings on or before 28 February 2026, for travel originally scheduled up to 10 March 2026.

The flexibility applies to eligible tickets under the specified booking and travel dates, giving affected passengers more time and options to adjust their plans.

Five incoming and outgoing flights to and from West Asia were cancelled at the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport here on Wednesday due to the conflict in the Gulf, officials said.

The affected routes included key cities like Doha, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi, with flights cancelled from midnight to 1:30 pm, news agency PTI reported.

As many as 34 international flights were cancelled at Kempegowda International Airport on Wednesday as airline operations were disrupted due to the Middle East conflict, news agency PTI reported.

An emotional scene unfolded at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport as pilgrims arriving from Saudi Arabia after performing 'Umrah' were welcomed home amid widespread disruption to flight services due to the escalating conflict in the Middle East.

According to the passenger alert by Qatar Airways, those with:

• Confirmed booking for travel between 28 February and 10 March 2026 are eligible for complimentary date changes of up to 14 days from the original travel date, OR
• A refund of the unused value of your ticket.

Airlines around the globe are suspending more flights to additional destinations across the Middle East as the expanding war moves into its fifth day.

Qatar Airways extended its service halts into Friday. The disruptions since Iran’s first retaliatory strike are spreading across the region, leading to more than 15,000 flights being canceled, including at major transfer hubs such as Dubai and Doha, according to Bloomberg.

Emirates has announced that all scheduled flights to and from Dubai will remain suspended until 11:59 pm UAE time on March 7 due to ongoing airspace closures across the region.

The United Arab Emirates has established secure emergency air corridors in coordination with Gulf nations, enabling the handling of up to 48 flights per hour, Economy and Tourism Minister Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri announced during a government media briefing on Tuesday.

Al Marri said the current capacity is based on available emergency routes and may be expanded depending on evolving developments and updated security assessments. The special corridors have been designed to ensure safe aircraft movement amid the ongoing regional situation.

Between March 1 and March 3, a total of 17,498 passengers travelled on 60 flights under the current arrangements. Looking ahead, 80 additional flights operated by national carriers are scheduled in the next phase, expected to accommodate around 27,000 passengers.

The minister added that subsequent phases will be implemented in line with security evaluations and once conditions are considered stable.

Meanwhile, regular commercial operations by Emirates, Etihad Airways and Air Arabia have not yet resumed. flydubai has, however, begun limited flight operations.

A man from Telangana suffered minor injuries following an attack linked to Iran near Abu Dhabi International Airport, amid the ongoing conflict in West Asia, his parents said on Wednesday.

N Rajeswara Rao, a native of Pothireddypalle village in Rajanna Sircilla district, was injured in the incident, his father Prabhakar Rao said.

Rao, who works in the housekeeping section at the airport, informed his parents that he and several others escaped with minor injuries.

"My son has been working there for a year. He works at the airport. He sustained injuries in the attack. He spoke to us over a video call, but he is not showing us the injuries. I want my son to return home soon," Prabhakar Rao told PTI Videos.

Air India has announced additional flights on key international routes to address rising travel demand amid the ongoing situation in West Asia.

The airline will operate three extra services between Delhi and Toronto from March 5 to March 11.

Further, between March 7 and March 10, Air India has scheduled three additional flights connecting Delhi and Frankfurt, along with one extra service between Delhi and Paris (Charles de Gaulle).

An Indian passenger wearing a garland poses for a selfie with family members upon his arrival on a flight from Saudi Arabia, amid the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict, at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.

Akasa Air will operate a special flight from Abu Dhabi on March 4, 2026, to facilitate the safe return of passengers and crew affected by the ongoing situation.

The flight, QP 585, will depart from Abu Dhabi to Mumbai at 16:00 (local time).

The airline will also operate select flights between India and Jeddah on March 4 and March 5.

On March 4, the following services are scheduled:

QP 561 Mumbai – Jeddah | ETD 19:20

QP 562 Jeddah – Mumbai | ETD 23:55

QP 563 Ahmedabad – Jeddah | ETD 17:45

QP 564 Jeddah – Ahmedabad | ETD 21:50

On March 5, Akasa Air will operate:

QP 561 Mumbai – Jeddah | ETD 19:20

QP 562 Jeddah – Mumbai | ETD 23:55

QP 550 Bengaluru – Jeddah | ETD 18:25

QP 551 Jeddah – Bengaluru | ETD 23:30

All timings are in local time zones.

The airline said the operation of these flights is based on its current safety assessment and may be revised depending on prevailing conditions.

Meanwhile, Akasa Air flights to and from Doha, Kuwait and Riyadh will remain suspended until March 5.

A special flight from Dubai arrives safely across Indian airports on Wednesday, including at the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI), Chennai International Airport and others, as flight operations gradually resumed following disruptions triggered by the escalating West Asian conflict. Some flights from Dubai arrived in Hyderabad and Chennai. Coordination between airport authorities and airline officials is bringing relief to stranded passengers who had faced uncertainty over the past few days due to widespread cancellations and delays, ANI reported.

IndiGo on Wednesday issued a travel advisory announcing the gradual restoration of flight operations on several international routes, including services to Athens, Muscat, Jeddah and Madinah, along with select repatriation flights to the UAE.

In a statement, the airline acknowledged the uncertainty faced by passengers in recent days and assured continued support.

“Over the past few days, many of our customers have been navigating uncertainty while waiting to return home or reach places that matter most to them. During this time, we remain firmly by your side, doing everything possible to support your journeys with care, responsibility, and constant attention to safety,” IndiGo said.

The airline confirmed that previously announced flights to Athens, Muscat, Jeddah and Madinah have now commenced operations as part of efforts to restore connectivity on impacted routes.

“In line with these efforts, the flights announced earlier to Athens, Muscat, Jeddah, and Madinah, along with select repatriation flights to the UAE, have now commenced operations as we gradually restore connectivity on the impacted routes,” the statement read.

IndiGo further said it is planning to scale up operations, subject to regulatory approvals.

“With the safety of our customers and crew as our highest priority, provided we have the approvals, we do strive to increase the frequency of repatriation flights to the UAE, from tomorrow to further support customers awaiting travel,” the airline added.

Passengers have been advised to closely track updates regarding their flights.

“Customers are advised to continue monitoring their flight status and stay attentive to updates shared through their registered contact details. If you are scheduled to travel, we kindly request that you wait for confirmation from us before proceeding to the airport,” the airline said.

An Indian Muslim passenger is welcomed upon their arrival at the airport of Ahmedabad on late March 3, 2026, after she was stranded in Jeddah (Saudi Arabia) as she visited for special prayer in ongoing Ramadan month, following the eruption of a regional conflict sparked by Israel-US strikes on Iran. Governments and airlines scrambled on March 3, 2026 to repatriate tens of thousands of travellers stranded in the Middle East.

Tiruchippalli International Airport Limited officials on Monday issued an operational update, reporting a total of 31 flight cancellations at Trichy Airport on Wednesday amid the West Asia conflict, ANI reported.

Emotional scenes played out at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport in New Delhi as dozens of Indian citizens, stranded abroad amid the escalating Middle East conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran, were reunited with their families.

A first charter flight carrying French nationals stranded in the Middle East since the start of the war with Iran landed at Charles de Gaulle airport near Paris early Wednesday, news agency AFP reported.

Other governments have started evacuations, including the United Kingdom, Spain, Italy and Germany, which chartered two flights - one in Riyadh and another in Oman's Muscat - to bring home particularly vulnerable citizens initially out of the roughly 30,000 currently stranded in the region.

Israel will open its airspace on the night between March 4 and March 5, resuming limited flights from Ben Gurion Airport to safely evacuate Israeli's stuck in the Gulf region.

Israel Transport Minister Miri Regev announced this decision in a press conference, as the conflict in West Asia escalates after the assassination of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

“The airspace will be opened on the night between Wednesday and Thursday gradually and of course subject to security arrangements. We are doing everything to bring Israeli citizens home safely, in accordance to the security directives,” she said.

“Qatar Airways flight operations remain temporarily suspended due to the closure of Qatari airspace. Qatar Airways will resume operations once the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority announces the safe reopening of Qatari airspace. A further update will be provided on 06 March by 09:00 Doha time (06:00 UTC),” Qatar Airways said in an update on X.

Many airlines are taking refund requests or offering free rebooking - but such options are often limited to specific dates or routes, so it's important for travellers to check carriers' individual websites for more information. For future trips, buying refundable tickets now may provide more flexibility.

Experts stress that flights scheduled in the coming days and weeks could continue to see disruptions - causing ripple effects globally, especially as the war widens with retaliatory strikes in the Gulf states. Beyond the Middle East, airports in the Gulf serve as critical hubs connecting travellers going to Europe, Africa and Asia.

The United States on 3 March issued a travel advisory warning Americans to “not travel” to Iran, Iraq and several other Middle East countries, in “light of evolving dynamics” in the region.

The advisory followed the launch of US combat operations in Iran. The conflict between Iran, the US and Israel has now entered Day 5 and has spread to Gulf nations such as Dubai, Oman, and Bahrain. Read more

EK73 Paris

EK927 Cairo

EK805 Jeddah

EK45 Frankfurt

EK506 Mumbai

EK370 Da Nang

EK261 Sao Paulo

EK55 Dusseldorf

EK39 Birmingham

EK770 Cape Town

EK133 Moscow DME

EK1 London Heathrow

EK516 Delhi

EK123 Istanbul

EK703 Mauritius

EK380 Hong Kong

EK362 Guangzhou

EK654 Colombo

EK566 Bengaluru

EK506 Mumbai

EK765 Johannesburg

EK3 London Heathrow

EK193 Lisbon

EK23 Edinburgh

EK528 Hyderabad

EK803 Jeddah

EK51 Munich

EK175 Saint Petersburg

EK131 Moscow DME

EK69 London Gatwick

EK336 Manila

EK314 Singapore

EK512 New Delhi

EK568 Bangalore

EK500 Mumbai

“Due to the current situation in the Middle East, some westbound international flights may experience delays or schedule changes. Passengers are advised to check the latest flight updates with their respective airlines before heading to the airport,” Delhi Airport said in a post on X.

SpiceJet shared its flight cancellation update.

As the Iranian airspace remains closed, making any immediate air evacuation impossible, the Indian students have relocated from Tehran and safely reached Qom as part of precautionary arrangements undertaken amid the evolving security situation in the region, the All India Medical Students Association (AIMSA) said on Tuesday.

As the West Asia conflict continues to escalate, the return of Indian students living in Iran has become a primary concern, with their families hoping for their safe return at the earliest.

The brother of Aakil Ali, who he said had been living in Iran for the last five years, spoke to ANI on Tuesday to urge the government and the PM to bring his brother home.

"He has been studying in Iran for the last five years and has not returned home for a year. Given the current situation between Iran, Israel, and America, I appeal to the Indian government to bring him home as soon as possible... I appeal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to bring back all our Indians who are there safely," he said.

Delhi, Mumbai and the Kochi airports have witnessed an influx of Indian passengers returning from the region as Dubai and Fujairah partially opened the airspace.

Meanwhile, India is continuously monitoring the evolving airspace situation in parts of West Asia and its impact on international flight operations.

“Flight operations remain temporarily suspended due to the closure of Qatari airspace, mandated by Qatar Civil Aviation Authority. This is to ensure the highest level of safety for our passengers and employees. We remind passengers not to proceed to the airport, until further notice. To guide our passengers that are currently in Doha, during this challenging period we have compiled key information to support your enquiries. Our teams remain available and are responding to enquiries as quickly as possible,” the Hamad International Airport said.

SpiceJet will operate eight special flights from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Wednesday to facilitate the return of Indian nationals stranded there amid the ongoing conflict in West Asia, a press release by the airline said on Wednesday.

According to the release, all eight flights will operate from Fujairah. The airline will operate four special flights to New Delhi, three special flights to Mumbai and one special flight to Kochi, providing additional capacity to help stranded passengers return home at the earliest.

Israel will begin gradually reopening its airspace overnight, after suspending civilian flights following strikes on Iran, with initial flights focused on repatriating Israelis, the country’s transport minister said.

“In view of the evolving airspace restrictions over Iran and the Middle East, more than 500 flights to the Middle East and select international destinations have been cancelled between February 28, 2026 and March 3, 2026. We continue to closely monitor the revenue environment arising from this situation,” IndiGo said in a stock exchange filing on Wednesday.

Tens of thousands of airline passengers are stranded by the Iran war that has spread across the Gulf region, but some wealthy travellers are getting out - by paying large sums for luxury flights to Europe via airports that are safe from Iranian drone and missile attacks.

Demand for charter flights has skyrocketed, with some people paying up to 200,000 euros ($232,000) as major airports in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha, Qatar, were closed after the start of the conflict last weekend.

Air India clarified that its flights to North America, the UK, and Europe continue to operate as per schedule. "These services are being operated via alternative routings over available airspaces in the Middle East, with safety remaining our highest priority," it added.

Etihad Airways said that it had cancelled its scheduled flight operations to and from Abu Dhabi until 2 pm local time on 5 March.

“Some repositioning, cargo and repatriation flights may operate in coordination with UAE authorities and subject to strict operational and safety approvals,” it said

Evacuation flights are set to rescue tens of thousands of travellers stranded in the Middle East even as some airlines resumed on Tuesday a limited number of scheduled flights, news agency AFP reported.

Amid the continuing volatile situation in the Middle East, leading airlines have announced schedule changes, suspensions, and additional services to mitigate passenger inconvenience and maintain connectivity.

The first of the two flights, arranged by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde to ferry tourists from Maharashtra stranded in the UAE due to the US-Israel-Iran conflict, landed in Mumbai on Tuesday night with around 70 passengers on board, Shiv Sena MLAs said.

Here's the latest update from the government on flights

Amid the flight disruptions in the wake of the US-Israel vs Iran conflict from the past few days, the flight from Jeddah to Ahmedabad landed late last night at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport.