Air travel update: Air India expands flights to Europe, New York amid West Asia crisis; here’s all you need to know

Air India, on Monday (Mar 9), announced plans to deploy additional flight capacity to five key gateways in Europe as well as to New York (JFK) over the coming days, along with additional services to the Maldives and Sri Lanka, in response to high demand for travel options amid the ongoing situation in West Asia. The national flight carrier will operate 78 additional flights between 10 and 18 March 2026 across nine routes, linking Delhi and Mumbai with major destinations in Europe, the United States and neighbouring countries. 1. Delhi-New York (JFK)1 2. Delhi-London (Heathrow) 3. Mumbai-London (Heathrow) 4. Delhi-Frankfurt 5. Delhi-Paris (CDG) 6. Delhi-Amsterdam 7. Delhi-Zurich 8. Delhi-Malé 9. Delhi-Colombo “Together, these flights add 17,660 seats on nine routes in both directions. The additional flights on the European routes will operate with B787-8, and those to Malé and Colombo will be operated with A320neo aircraft. The flights to New York (JFK) are subject to the requisite regulatory approvals and would operate with Air India’s B777-300ER aircraft,” Air India said in an official press release. Air India, Air India Express operate 24 scheduled flights to Jeddah and Muscat Air India also announced that the flight carrier, along with Air India Express, will together operate 24 scheduled flights to Jeddah and Muscat on 9 March 2026. “On 9 March 2026, Air India will operate one round-trip each from Delhi and Mumbai to Jeddah, and Air India Express will operate one round-trip each from Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and Kozhikode,” the national flight carrier said in a press release. “Air India Express will also operate its scheduled services to Muscat, including one round-trip each from Delhi, Mumbai, Kannur, Thiruvananthapuram and Tiruchirappalli, and two round-trips from Kochi,” it added. Etihad opens bookings for over 100 flights to 20 key destinations Etihad Airways has opened bookings for over 100 flights to 20 key destinations from Abu Dhabi’s Zayed International Airport. The flight carrier released a statement saying that the guests with previous bookings will be accommodated as soon as possible. The airline advised the passengers not to travel to the airport without a confirmed ticket. “Guests and members of the public should not travel to the airport unless they have been contacted directly by Etihad or hold a confirmed booking on one of the new flights,” it said. Etihad Airways outbound flight schedule from March 9 to March 12 The flight services were severely affected following the closure of airspace in the Middle East as the tensions between Iran, the United States and Israel continue to escalate. Here is the flight schedule for March 9. > The latest flight schedule can be found at: https://t.co/xOQs6ucQGX pic.twitter.com/Z3g6fszIzZ — Etihad Airways (@etihad) March 8, 2026 The latest flight schedule can be found at: https://t.co/xOQs6ucQGX pic.twitter.com/Z3g6fszIzZ — Etihad Airways (@etihad) March 8, 2026 Here is the flight schedule for March 10. > The latest flight schedule can be found at: https://t.co/xOQs6ucQGX pic.twitter.com/yzY9qttwaL — Etihad Airways (@etihad) March 8, 2026 The latest flight schedule can be found at: https://t.co/xOQs6ucQGX pic.twitter.com/yzY9qttwaL — Etihad Airways (@etihad) March 8, 2026 The Express Global Desk at The Indian Express delivers authoritative, verified, and context-driven coverage of key international developments shaping global politics, policy, and migration trends. The desk focuses on stories with direct relevance for Indian and global audiences, combining breaking news with in-depth explainers and analysis. A major focus area of the desk is US immigration and visa policy, including developments related to student visas, work permits, permanent residency pathways, executive actions, and court rulings. The Global Desk also closely tracks Canada’s immigration, visa, and study policies, covering changes to study permits, post-study work options, permanent residence programmes, and regulatory updates affecting migrants and international students. All reporting from the Global Desk adheres to The Indian Express’ editorial standards, relying on official data, government notifications, court documents, and on-record sources. The desk prioritises clarity, accuracy, and accountability, ensuring readers can navigate complex global systems with confidence. Core Team The Express Global Desk is led by a team of experienced journalists and editors with deep expertise in international affairs and migration policy: Aniruddha Dhar – Senior Assistant Editor with extensive experience in global affairs, international politics, and editorial leadership. Nischai Vats – Deputy Copy Editor specialising in US politics, US visa and immigration policy, and policy-driven international coverage. Mashkoora Khan – Sub-editor focusing on global developments, with a strong emphasis on Canada visa, immigration, and study-related policy coverage. ... Read More