Air India said on Friday that many international flights flying to the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada were diverted or turned back to their point of origin because of the rapidly developing situation in Iran.
This action comes after Iran and Israel escalated hostility, causing greater uncertainty with regard to regional airspace safety.
"In view of the developing situation in Iran, the subsequent closing of its airspace, and keeping in mind the safety of passengers, some Air India flights are being diverted or back to origin," the airline stated in a press release.
Affected flights are:
AI130 (London Heathrow–Mumbai) – diverted to Vienna
AI102 (New York–Delhi) – diverted to Sharjah
AI116 (New York–Mumbai) – diverted to Jeddah
AI2018 (London Heathrow–Delhi) – diverted to Mumbai
AI129 (Mumbai–London Heathrow) – back to Mumbai
AI119 (Mumbai–New York) – back to Mumbai
AI103 (Delhi–Washington) – back to Delhi
AI106 (Newark–Delhi) – back to Delhi
AI188 (Vancouver–Delhi) – diverted to Jeddah
AI101 (Delhi–New York) – diverted via Frankfurt/Milan
AI126 (Chicago–Delhi) – diverted to Jeddah
AI132 (London Heathrow–Bengaluru) – diverted to Sharjah
AI2016 (London Heathrow–Delhi) – diverted to Vienna
AI104 (Washington–Delhi) – diverted to Vienna
AI190 (Toronto–Delhi) – diverted to Frankfurt
AI189 (Delhi–Toronto) – back to Delhi
The airline apologized for the inconvenience and assured travelers that efforts were being made to minimize the disruption caused.
"We deeply regret the unplanned disruption. We are organizing accommodation and providing refunds or free rescheduling for customers who would like to cancel or reschedule. We are also in the process of finding alternative travel options. We advise all passengers to check their flight status before going to the airport," said the airline.
Earlier in the day, Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport issued a travel advisory to passengers bound for Iran and Iraq, encouraging them to check directly with their respective airlines for the most up-to-date flight information.
Meanwhile, the Indian Embassy in Tel Aviv has urged Indian nationals in Israel to remain alert, limit non-essential travel, and adhere to local safety advisories amid the ongoing regional tensions.
