Middle East Crisis: Delhi Airport Reports Delays; Emirates, Etihad Resume Limited Operations

Several westbound international flights from the Indira Gandhi International Airport were delayed on Tuesday amid escalating tensions in West Asia, Delhi International Airport Limited said in a passenger advisory.

In a statement, DIAL said, "Due to the ongoing political situation in the Middle East, several westbound international flights are causing delays or schedule adjustments. Passengers are advised to check the latest flight updates with their respective airlines before travelling to the airport. If required, please consider alternate routes or connections as suggested by your airline."

Airport officials urged passengers to verify flight updates and explore alternate routes before heading to the airport.

Airspace in several West Asian nations remains closed following coordinated US and Israeli airstrikes across multiple Iranian cities on February 28, targeting military command centres, air defence systems, missile sites and key regime infrastructure.

Amid gradual resumption of services, an Emirates flight from Dubai to Mumbai landed safely at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport on Tuesday.

Emirates flight EK 500 arrived in Mumbai amid tight coordination between airport authorities and airline officials, bringing relief to stranded passengers who had faced uncertainty over the past few days due to cancellations and delays.

Ajay, a passenger on board the flight, recounted the tense situation in Dubai. Speaking to ANI, he said, "We had a flight to the USA from Dubai. When it didn't take off, we thought there might be some issues with the flight. After 7-8 hours, we were told that a war had broken out," he said.

He added that the airline arranged accommodation for stranded travellers. "Buses from Emirates came and took all the passengers to the hotels. As soon as we came to know that the flight to Mumbai would leave, we immediately contacted them and came here. Slowly, the situation is getting controlled there," Ajay said.

The first flight from Abu Dhabi landed at the Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru on Monday night, bringing back passengers affected by the disruption in air travel services.

How Did Etihad Airways Assist Stranded Passengers at Abu Dhabi Airport?

A traveller who had been stranded in Abu Dhabi praised the arrangements made by Etihad Airways.

Speaking to ANI, the passenger said, "Once we got stuck in the Abu Dhabi airport, Etihad Airways took good care of us. They booked the hotels for all the passengers whose flights were cancelled."

Another Emirates flight from Dubai to Bengaluru departed on Monday night as operations at Dubai airports began to partially resume.

Dubai Airports confirmed that a limited resumption of operations would begin on the evening of March 2 with a small number of flights permitted to operate from Dubai International Airport and Al Maktoum International Airport.

With flights gradually taking to the skies once again, normalcy is slowly returning to the UAE, offering relief to thousands of Indians waiting to return home.

(With inputs from ANI)