Amid the spiraling unrest, Iran shut its airspace early Thursday without any explanation and issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) which has halted most flights except a limited number of approved international ones. According to flight tracking data, skies over Iran and Iraq are rapidly being emptied ahead of the closure order.
In view of this, Indian airlines, including Air India, IndiGo and SpiceJet have said that some of their international flights have been affected and issued a statement.
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What did Air India say?
In a post on X at 5:31 am, Air India informed passengers that due to the emerging situation in Iran and in view of the safety of passengers, their flights are now using alternative routes which might lead to delays and even cancellations.
"Due to the emerging situation in Iran, the subsequent closure of its airspace, and in view of the safety of our passengers, Air India flights overflying the region are now using an alternative routing, which may lead to delays. Some Air India flights where currently rerouting is not possible are being cancelled," the airline said.
The airline urged passengers to check their flight status and also apologised for the inconvenience caused.
"We request passengers to check the status of their flights on our website https://airindia.com/in/en/manage/flight-status.html before heading to the airport. Air India regrets the inconvenience caused to passengers due to this unforeseen disruption. Safety of our passengers and crew remain top priority," the airline added.
IndiGo says...
In its post on X at 4:29 am, IndiGo also issued a travel advisory and informed passengers of the affected flight operations due to the "sudden airspace closure by Iran".
The airline mentioned that their teams were "working diligently" to offer the best available alternatives.
"Due to the sudden airspace closure by Iran, some of our international flights are impacted. Our teams are working diligently to assess the situation and support affected customers by offering the best possible alternatives," said IndiGo.
The airline also clarified that this development was beyond its control and urged passengers to explore "flexible rebooking options" from its website.
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"This development is beyond our control, and we regret the disruption it may have caused to your travel plans. If your flight is impacted, we encourage you to visit our website to explore flexible rebooking options or to claim a refund, as per your preference."
"We remain committed to keeping you informed and supporting you through this evolving situation. Thank you for your continued patience and understanding," IndiGo added.
SpiceJet advises passengers to...
In its advisory at 6:47 am on X, SpiceJet also informed of the disruption and wrote, "#TravelUpdate: Due to airspace closure in Iran, some of our flights may be affected. Passengers are advised to check their flight status at http://spicejet.com/#status or contact our 24*7 Reservation Helpline numbers at +91 (0)124 4983410 or +91 (0)124 7101600 for assistance."
