SpiceJet Flight from Fujirah Returns Stranded Indian Passengers as West Asia Tensions Disrupt Travel

A SpiceJet SG 9073 flight from Fujirah in the UAE safely brought passengers back to Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI) in New Delhi on Friday amid rising tensions in West Asia, while airlines continued to adjust operations as the regional conflict disrupted travel.

The passengers on board had travelled to the UAE to attend the Vijay Ratna (VR) award function held on 28 February.

The group included 50 VR awardees and some journalists, many of whom faced significant difficulties after multiple flights were cancelled due to the ongoing conflict.

Among them was Vivekanand Hodekar from Karnataka, who said he panicked after his flight was cancelled.

He credited Chairman and MD of Vijayanand Roadlines Limited (VRL) Group, Dr Vijay Sankeshwar, for arranging food, shelter and alternate return flights for all 50 awardees.

What challenges did passengers face before boarding the SpiceJet flight back to Delhi?

Passengers travelled from Dubai to Fujirah Airport, located around two hours away. Hodekar recalled the tense situation at the airport before departure.

The flight departed at 1 AM and landed safely in New Delhi at 6 AM. Hodekar also expressed gratitude to Sankeshwar for his assistance.

Another passenger, M.B. Shastri, told ANI that he learnt about the cancellation of his return flight while attending the award ceremony.

"I faced many problems and thought I would not be able to go home," he said.

A journalist who had travelled to Dubai to cover the VR awards also described his ordeal.

His flight scheduled for March 1 was cancelled, followed by another cancellation on March 3. With Sankeshwar's help, he was finally able to book a SpiceJet flight for March 6.

"My family was waiting for me, and I was very tense. I am happy to have reached home safely," he said.

The coordinated efforts ensured the safe return of all passengers despite uncertainty caused by the conflict in the region.

Meanwhile, airlines operating in the region have begun adjusting their services as the crisis continues. Etihad Airways on Friday resumed a limited commercial flight schedule from Abu Dhabi.

The airline will operate select routes to major global destinations until March 19, and passengers with previous bookings will be re-accommodated as soon as possible.

Which destinations are included in Etihad Airways’ limited flight schedule amid West Asia tensions?

The temporary schedule connects the UAE capital with several international destinations across Asia, Europe and North America, including Ahmedabad, Bangkok, Bengaluru, Cairo, Colombo, Delhi, Frankfurt, Hanoi, Hyderabad, Jeddah, Kuala Lumpur, London Heathrow Airport, Madrid, Male, Milan Malpensa Airport, Sheremetyevo International Airport, Mumbai, John F. Kennedy International Airport, Paris, Phuket, Riyadh, Rome, Incheon International Airport, Toronto and Zurich.

Etihad Airways has asked passengers to travel to the airport only when contacted directly by the airline or if they hold a confirmed booking on one of the newly scheduled flights.

At the same time, Emirates, Air Arabia and Oman Air operated their flights to Thiruvananthapuram International Airport.

Air Arabia has scheduled another flight to Sharjah from Thiruvananthapuram airport later in the evening, according to airport sources.

The Civil Aviation Ministry confirmed that a total of 281 flights scheduled to operate on Thursday by Indian domestic carriers were cancelled due to the situation in West Asia.

"The Ministry of Civil Aviation continues to closely monitor the evolving situation in West Asia. As of 5 March, a total of 281 flights scheduled to operate today by Indian domestic carriers have been cancelled. Passengers are advised to regularly monitor their flight status and remain attentive to updates shared through their registered contact details by their respective airlines," the MoCA posted on X.

The disruptions come amid escalating tensions in West Asia after a joint US-Israel military strike on Saturday on Iranian territory resulted in the death of its Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and other senior figures, prompting a strong response from Tehran.

In retaliation, Iran launched waves of drone and missile attacks across multiple Arab countries as the conflict entered its seventh day.

(With inputs from ANI)