Over 6,000 flights cancelled worldwide as Middle East tensions escalate; Emirates, Etihad, IndiGo among worst-hit airlines
Kartavya Desk Staff
As the Middle East remains mired in conflict after Israel and US jointly attacked Iran, air travel across the globe is severely hit. The war has shuttered airports in the region, leaving hundreds of thousands of travellers stranded at the airports and hotels, with no word on when they would reopen.
With air spaces closed in West Asia, several airlines have suspended their flight operations in and above the region for indefinite periods.
✈️ Middle East Crisis: Dubai Airport Effectively Shut
According to flight tracking website FlightAware, Middle Eastern carriers Emirates, Etihad Airways, Fly Dubai and Qatar Airways are among the hardest-affected airlines that have thrown the global aviation industry into chaos, Out of a total of over 6,000 flights cancelled today, Emirates recorded most number of cancellations at 485 while Etihad Airways, FlyDubai and Qatar have respectively 190, 181 and 106 of their flights cancelled today as of 1.40 pm IST.
Indian budget carrier that flies people to destinations like Doha, Fubai, and Abu Dhabi is the worst-hit non-Middle Eastern airline with 129 flights cancelled today so far, followed by Air India that cancelled 28 flights.
🌍 6,000+ Flights Cancelled: Top 10 Most-Affected Airlines
| Airline | Cancellations
1 | Emirates ME | 485
2 | Etihad Airways ME | 190
3 | FlyDubai ME | 181
4 | IndiGo IN | 129
5 | Qatar Airways ME | 106
6 | Gulf Air ME | 95
7 | El Al | 93
8 | Saudia ME | 42
9 | Air India IN | 28
10 | Spirit | 28
Dubai International airport that has been shut after Iran struck United Arab Emirates (UAE) as part of retaliation to US-Israel attacks saw most number of flight cancellations. As many as 435 flights that were supposed to fly from the airport were cancelled on Monday so far while 395 flights that were scheduled to land there were cancelled. Similarly Abu Dhabi airport saw 121 cancellations as origin and 123 as destination airport respectively.
5 Origin airports with most number of flight cancellations
| No. of flights cancelled | Airports
1 | 435 | Dubai Int’l (DXB)
2 | 121 | Abu Dhabi Int’l (AUH)
3 | 92 | Ben Gurion Int’l (TLV)
4 | 55 | Hamad Int’l (DOH)
5 | 45 | Bahrain Int’l (BAH)
5 Destination airports with most number flight cancellations
| No. of flights cancelled | Airports
1 | 395 | Dubai Int’l (DXB)
2 | 123 | Abu Dhabi Int’l (AUH)
3 | 104 | Hamad Int’l (DOH)
4 | 85 | Ben Gurion Int’l (TLV)
5 | 66 | Bahrain Int’l (BAH)
As most of the flights from and to the Middle Eastern countries stand cancelled, some governments advised the stranded citizens to take shelter in places. Dubai authorities have instructed hotel establishments to extend all necessary support to tourists impacted by the cancellations or delays in the air travel.
🆘 Stranded Abroad? Here's Official Help for Travellers
In India, Ministry of Civil Aviation has promised all possible assistance to the travellers who scramble for information on next possible flight to or through Middle East. The Passenger Assistance Control Room (PACR) at the ministry is working round the clock to monitor and address all the queries of the air travellers received through social media platforms, the AirSewa portal, and dedicated helplines on priority basis.
Passengers can reach out to the ministry through its official social media platforms, the AirSewa portal, or by calling our helpline numbers: 011-24604283 / 011-24632987, it notified.