Israel-US Strikes On Iran Trigger Global Aviation Emergency, 3,500+ Flights Cancelled
· Free Press Journal
Global aviation plunged into a state of emergency following a series of coordinated military strikes by Israel and the United States against Iran early Saturday. The escalation, which prompted immediate retaliatory missile fire from Tehran targeting Israel and U.S. military installations across the Gulf, has forced the closure of multiple national airspaces and the cancellation of thousands of flights worldwide.
Middle East Airspace Shut
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Fearing for civilian safety, aviation authorities across the Middle East moved swiftly to shut down key corridors. Countries including Israel, Iran, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq and Jordan announced total or partial shutdown of their airspace. The move triggered cancellation of over 3,500 flights to airports in these countries.
Major Airlines Suspend Operations
Airlines like Emirates suspended all its flights from Dubai while Etihad cancelled all its departures from Abu Dhabi and Qatar Airways suspended all its operations to and from Doha. The shutdown of Dubai and Doha, which are two of the world's most critical transit points, has caused a massive chaos in global scheduling.
India Faces Travel Disruption
India, which maintains some of the highest flight frequencies to the Gulf region, faced a severe travel crisis. Numerous flights operated by Indian carriers were cancelled within the first few hours of the conflict, followed by cancellation of all the flights until March 2. Indian airlines including IndiGo, Air India and Akasa Air issued travel advisories informing passengers about the suspension of operations.
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DGCA Issues Safety Advisory
DGCA issued a safety advisory for Indian airlines asking them to refrain from operating within affected airspace in the Middle East and Persian Gulf regions at all flight levels and altitude until March 1. The affected airspace, suggested to be avoided, encompasses Iran, Israel, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, UAE and Qatar. The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) also issued a travel advisory advising passengers to check and confirm their flight status with the respective airlines.
Airports Told To Coordinate
“The Airports Authority of India and private airport operators have been advised to maintain enhanced coordination with airlines for ground handling, parking bays, passenger amenities, crew logistics and immigration support, as necessary,” the ministry stated.
Airports Issue Advisories
Indian airports also issued travel advisories for their passengers and asked the travellers to check their flight status before leaving for the airport. Major Indian airports including Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Lucknow and Thiruvananthapuram, issued advisaries.