Middle East Airspace Closure Disrupts India Gulf Flights, Coimbatore Services Hit

Widespread airspace closures across parts of West Asia amid the ongoing war in the Middle East have brought flight operations in the region to almost nil, severely affecting air connectivity between India and key Gulf destinations, airport authorities said on Tuesday.

Speaking to ANI, Mohammed Arif, Director of Coimbatore International Airport, said, "In the wake of this ongoing war in the Middle East region, the airspace there has been closed by multiple countries. Because of that, there is almost negligible flight operation in the Middle East region.”

"Coimbatore is connected to 2 Middle East destinations: Abu Dhabi and Sharjah. The Abu Dhabi sector is operated by Indigo, and its frequency is 4 days a week: Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday,” he said.

“Similarly, Air Arabia provides connectivity to Sharjah from Coimbatore, with a frequency of 5 days a week: Monday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. The closure of airspace happened on Saturday, the 28th, from the afternoon onward," he added.

How Did Middle East Airspace Closure Impact Coimbatore–Sharjah and Abu Dhabi Flights?

Arif said the Sharjah flight operates early morning around 3:50 am, while the Abu Dhabi flight departs in the afternoon around 3 pm.

On Saturday, the Sharjah flight operated normally, but the Abu Dhabi flight was cancelled. On Sunday, both flights were cancelled.

On Monday, only the Sharjah flight was scheduled and cancelled, while the Abu Dhabi flight had no scheduled operation.

On Tuesday, both the Abu Dhabi operated by IndiGo and the Sharjah operated by Air Arabia flights were cancelled.

"For today, that is Tuesday, the flight is cancelled. Similarly, for Sharjah, yesterday was the day of operation, Monday, so the flight was cancelled. Today, there is no operation between Coimbatore and Sharjah. That is the status of cancellations as of yet,” he further said.

How Many Passengers Did Coimbatore International Airport Handle Amid Middle East Airspace Closure?

Coimbatore International Airport handled a total of 4,073 passengers on March 2, 2026, with 26 flights arriving and 26 flights departing.

Domestic travel dominated the traffic, with 3,894 passengers arriving and 3,805 departing. International flights saw 179 passengers arriving and 229 departing.

The airport recorded 25 domestic arrivals and departures, along with one international arrival and departure, according to the airport's official X handle.

Indian diplomatic missions in the Gulf region have stepped up assistance to stranded passengers following widespread disruptions triggered by the temporary airspace closures.

The Embassy of India in Kuwait, in a post on X, said it remains "fully engaged" in assisting Indian nationals affected by the disruption.

How Is the Indian Embassy in Kuwait Assisting Passengers Amid Middle East Airspace Closure?

"Embassy @indembkwt remains fully engaged in assisting Indian passengers stranded in Kuwait due to the temporary shutdown of airspace. Embassy officials are in regular contact with the stranded passengers, and are closely liaising with Kuwaiti authorities, managements of the respective hotels and airlines," the embassy said.

Abu Dhabi based carrier Etihad Airways announced that all its scheduled commercial flights to and from Abu Dhabi remain suspended until 2 pm UAE time on Wednesday, March 4.

In an operational update, the airline said some repositioning, cargo and repatriation flights may operate in coordination with UAE authorities and subject to strict safety approvals.

"Guests should not travel to the airport unless they have been contacted directly by Etihad and advised to do so," the airline stated, adding that passengers must check flight status on its website before travelling and ensure contact details in bookings are up to date.

Etihad further said guests holding tickets issued on or before February 28 for travel up to March 7 may rebook free of charge on Etihad operated flights up to March 18. Refunds are also being offered for affected passengers.

How Has Middle East Airspace Closure Impacted SpiceJet and Akasa Air Flights?

Budget carrier SpiceJet reported several flight cancellations from the UAE due to the airspace closure.

Akasa Air said it would operate select flights to and from Jeddah on March 3 and 4 following a comprehensive safety review.

The airline announced Mumbai to Jeddah and Ahmedabad to Jeddah services on specified dates, while clarifying that operations are subject to prevailing conditions.

However, Akasa Air said its flights to and from Abu Dhabi, Doha, Kuwait and Riyadh will remain suspended until March 4.

"The safety and well-being of our passengers and crew remain our highest priority," the airline said, urging travellers to check flight status before heading to the airport.

Adding to relief measures, the Embassy of India in Saudi Arabia, in a post on X, said IndiGo will operate special flights to India from Jeddah to facilitate stranded passengers. The Embassy said, "IndiGo Airlines to fly special flights to India from Jeddah."

Authorities and airlines continue to monitor the evolving situation in the Gulf region, with safety assessments guiding the gradual resumption of flight operations across the region.

(With inputs from ANI)