Air India to resume flights to Middle East and Europe from 25 June; US and Canada next
Air India has announced that it will 'resume flights to the region (middle East) starting today', hours after Israel opened its air space. Israel took the decision after it reached a ceasefire agreement with Iran, potentially ending a 12-day war. Air India also announced it will resume flights to East Coast of United States, Canada, and Europe gradually, starting today.
Air India informed that their flights to and from Europe, which were previously cancelled, will also be gradually reinstated from today. Services connecting the East Coast of the United States and Canada are set to resume at the earliest opportunity, although exact dates have yet to be confirmed.
'Flights to and from Europe, previously cancelled, are also being progressively reinstated from today, while services to and from the East Coast of the US, and Canada will resume at the earliest opportunity.', Air India Spokesperson said.
Air India in its official statement posted on X, wrote, 'As airspaces gradually reopen in certain parts of the Middle East, Air India will progressively resume flights to the region starting today, with most operations to and from the Middle East resuming from 25 June.'
Israel reopened its airspace, the Israel Airports Authority said on Tuesday, following a night of missile barrages from Iran. Israel's airspace closed due to multiple waves of Iranian missiles hours before a ceasefire came into effect.
Air India on Monday announced it was ceasing 'all operations to the region as well as to and from the East Coast of North America and Europe' immediately until further notice. The airline, which is still reeling from a plane crash that killed at least 270 people earlier this month, added that India-bound flights from North America were being diverted or rerouted away from closed airspaces.
An Air India spokesperson cautioned that some flights might face delays or cancellations due to extended re-routings and longer flight times caused by ongoing airspace restrictions. "We are committed to minimising disruptions and restoring our schedule integrity," the spokesperson said.
The airline emphasised that it will continue to avoid any airspaces deemed unsafe at any given time, prioritising the safety and security of passengers, staff, and aircraft. Passengers will be kept informed of any updates as the situation evolves.
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Indian Express
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India stays pragmatic amid Trump's tariff blitzkrieg; US moves N-submarines closer to Russia; Canada to recognise Palestinian state
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In the meantime, US President Trump's Mideast envoy on Friday (August 1) visited a food distribution site in Gaza operated by an Israeli-backed American contractor, Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). Media reports have highlighted that aid-seeking Palestinians have been attacked nearly-daily at GHF-operated aid sites, prompting severe criticism from the UN and other Arab nations questioning the credibility of the organisation. In a report issued on Friday, the New York-based Human Rights Watch said GHF was at the heart of a 'flawed, militarised aid distribution system that has turned aid distributions into regular bloodbaths,' Reuters reported. At least 24 people, including 13 aid seekers, have been killed on Saturday (August 2) in Israeli attacks across Gaza, while two more children and an adult have died due to 'famine and malnutrition', bringing the number of deaths from starvation in the territory to 162, including 92 children, Al Jazeera reported citing the enclave's Health Ministry. Israel's war on Gaza has killed at least 60,332 people and wounded 147,643 others. An estimated 1,139 people were killed in Israel during the October 7 attack, and more than 200 were taken captive. Send your feedback and ideas to Ashiya Parveen is working as Commissioning Editor for the UPSC Section at The Indian Express. She also writes a weekly round up of global news, The World This Week. Ashiya has more than 10 years of experience in editing and writing spanning media and academics, and has both academic and journalistic publications to her credit. She has previously worked with The Pioneer and Press Trust of India (PTI). She also holds a PhD in international studies from Centre for West Asian Studies, JNU. ... Read More
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