US Israel Iran war: What special arrangements are being made to facilitate movement of passengers stranded in Middle East?
US Israel Iran war: The Ministry of Civil Aviation has said that it is closely monitoring the evolving airspace situation in parts of the Middle East and its impact on international flight operations.
A significant number of Indians, especially students, remain stranded in Iran and other Gulf countries, as most of them were scheduled to appear for exams. India's Ministry of Civil Aviation announced the cancellation of 444 flights on Sunday due to airspace restrictions.
Ministry of Civil Aviation said that special arrangements are being made to facilitate the movement of stranded passengers. Airlines are deploying additional capacity where required and coordinating closely with foreign aviation authorities and Indian missions abroad to ensure safe and orderly passenger movement.
IndiGo has planned 10 special relief operations from Jeddah to India on 3 March, 2026 to facilitate the return of stranded passengers, subject to required approvals and prevailing airspace conditions. IndiGo is coordinating with the Consulate General of India at Jeddah for passenger facilitation.
Foreign carriers operating between India and the Gulf region are also undertaking limited operations, subject to operational and airspace considerations.
The Ministry said in a statement that passenger safety remains paramount. All airlines have been advised to maintain transparent communication with passengers and ensure adherence to regulatory requirements concerning refunds, rescheduling, and passenger assistance.
Ministry said passengers are advised to check the latest flight status directly with their respective airlines before proceeding to the airport and to rely only on official sources for updates.
The situation was reviewed on Monday in a high-level meeting chaired by Minister of Civil Aviation Rammohan Naidu and attended by Civil Aviation Secretary Samir Kumar Sinha and all senior officials.
The Ministry statement said it remains in continuous coordination with airlines, airport operators, regulatory authorities, and the Ministry of External Affairs to ensure safe operations, orderly restoration of services, and facilitation of affected passengers.