Eighteen Indian flights were diverted or delayed on Friday after Israel launched attacks on Iran, forcing the closure of Iranian airspace and causing widespread inconvenience to passengers who faced long queues and extended wait times.

Israel targeted Iran’s capital Tehran on Friday, striking nuclear facilities, ballistic missile factories, and military installations. The attacks prompted Iranian authorities to close the country’s airspace as a safety precaution.

Flight disruptions

Air India bore the brunt of the disruptions, with 16 long-haul and ultra-long-haul flights affected. The airline diverted several flights to alternative destinations, including:

• London Heathrow-Mumbai flight diverted to Vienna

• New York-Delhi flight diverted to Sharjah

• New York-Mumbai flights diverted to Jeddah

• London Heathrow-Delhi flight diverted to Mumbai

Four flights were forced to return to their points of origin, including Mumbai-London Heathrow, Mumbai-New York, Delhi-Washington, and Newark-Delhi routes.

IndiGo also issued travel advisories for two flights. The Mumbai-Istanbul flight
departed 1 hour 19 minutes late, while the Delhi-Istanbul flight was delayed by 2 hours 25 minutes and re-routed.

Passenger experiences

Despite the disruptions, many passengers acknowledged the airlines’ priority on safety. However, they faced significant inconvenience due to the unexpected delays.

Indu, a senior citizen passenger, described difficult conditions while waiting. “It was hot. Air-conditioning was inadequate. No water was served for a long time after 3pm, when the second departure time change was announced,” she said. However, she appreciated the assistance and wheelchair facility provided by the airport staff.

Gopinath Dhandapani, an Ahmedabad resident returning from London via Mumbai, experienced a five-hour delay on his Air India flight.

“My flight, originally scheduled to depart at 12.30pm London time, is now expected to take off around 5 to 5.15pm,” he said, adding that he returned to his hotel to rest during the extended delay.

A family of four from Calcutta found themselves stranded at Vienna airport after their Air India flight from Heathrow was diverted there.

“Every two hours, the airline staff say they will update us, but no information is available about when the flight will take off,” one family member said.

Airline response

Air India apologised for the disruptions and announced comprehensive support measures. “We regret the inconvenience caused to our passengers due to the unforeseen disruption and are making every effort to minimise it, including providing accommodation for passengers,” the airline stated. “Refunds for cancellation or complimentary rescheduling are also being offered to guests who opt for it.”

The airline assured passengers that alternative arrangements were being made to transport them to their destinations.

Delhi Airport acknowledged the impact on flight services due to “evolving airspace conditions over Iran, Iraq and the neighbouring region” and advised passengers to contact their respective airlines for updates. The airport emphasised that passengers should “rely only on official sources for accurate and up-to-date information”.

Despite the inconvenience, several passengers expressed understanding of the airlines’ safety-first approach. As one passenger noted, “Better delayed than never,” referencing the serious security situation in the region.