In response to escalating geopolitical tensions involving Iran, Israel, and the United States, Air India (AI), the national carrier owned by the Tata Group, has announced a significant change in its flight operations. The airline has rerouted multiple flights to Europe and North America through the Red Sea corridor, a strategic move designed to enhance passenger safety amidst growing military activity in West Asia.
Air India has revamped its flight paths, now utilizing a route that traverses from western India over the Arabian Sea and the Red Sea, passing through Egyptian airspace and over Greece to reach European destinations. This new routing effectively bypasses the Persian Gulf and the restricted airspace of Pakistan, as reported by Hindu BusinessLine.
Flights departing from major western Indian cities such as Mumbai (BOM) and Ahmedabad (AMD) can now reach European cities without the need for refueling. However, long-haul flights originating from northern hubs like Delhi (DEL) will require technical fuel stops at domestic airports before continuing their journey.
The situation for flights to North America, particularly to the US East Coast and Canada, is mixed. While flagship Airbus A350 services between Delhi (DEL) and New York (JFK) or Newark (EWR) are still operating non-stop, some transatlantic flights are now including refueling stops in Vienna (VIE). Additionally, select inbound flights from the US West Coast and Canada are making technical stops in Kolkata (CCU).
Alongside the rerouting of flights, Air India has implemented a 15% reduction in its international wide-body operations, effective from June 21 through at least July 15, 2025. This decision is attributed to various operational constraints, including:
Increased military tensions in the Middle East Ongoing night curfews in certain European and East Asian airspaces Enhanced internal safety checks on wide-body aircraft Operational caution exercised by engineering and cockpit crewsThis series of disruptions has already resulted in 83 international flight cancellations over just six days. Air India aims to ensure passenger safety and fleet reliability while minimizing service interruptions through these measures.
Air India has confirmed its commitment to closely monitoring regional security developments, remaining in constant coordination with external security advisors. An airline spokesperson stated, “Air India is vigilantly monitoring the evolving situation and is prepared to implement additional measures if required to uphold the safety and integrity of our operations.” Despite these challenges, Air India continues to serve ten European destinations, operating over 100 weekly flights, with the UK (LHR, LGW) being its largest European market at 60 weekly frequencies.
Major global carriers such as American Airlines (AA), KLM (KL), and Singapore Airlines (SQ) have also suspended or rerouted flights to Dubai (DXB) and other Gulf hubs due to the escalating conflict in the Middle East. This escalation has been driven by increased military actions between Iran and Israel, including U.S. strikes on Iranian targets. Consequently, air travel across Europe, North America, and Asia is experiencing significant disruptions, with key routes being diverted or canceled for safety reasons.
In light of the ongoing situation, several airlines have made extensive adjustments to their flight schedules:
KLM (KL) has suspended flights to Tel Aviv (TLV), Dubai (DXB), Riyadh (RUH), and Dammam (DMM). British Airways (BA) has canceled flights to Dubai (DXB), Doha (DOH), and Bahrain (BAH). Singapore Airlines (SQ) has canceled flights from Singapore (SIN) to Dubai (DXB). Emirates (EK) and Etihad Airways (EY) have suspended numerous flights to affected regions.Travelers planning to fly through the region are advised to check their flight status directly with their airline before heading to the airport. Rebooking and refunds are widely available for disrupted itineraries, and passengers may face denial of boarding if connecting through affected hubs like Dubai (DXB) or Abu Dhabi (AUH).
As the situation evolves, airlines continue to monitor developments closely, issuing regular updates to ensure passenger safety and operational efficiency. For the latest updates, stay tuned and follow us on social media.
