Air India suspends all flights to Middle East, Europe, and North America's East Coast amid regional crisis
As tensions escalate in the Middle East after Iran's attack on an US airbase in Qatar, Air India on Tuesday announced that it is halting all flight operations in the region as well as on the east coast of North America and Europe until further notice. In this file photo dated Monday, March 2, 2020, Air India planes are parked at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi. (PTI Photo/Ravi Choudhary)
An Air India spokesperson said that all India-bound flights from North America are being diverted back to their respective origins, while others are being diverted back to India or rerouted away from the closed airspaces.
'Amid the developing situation in the Middle East, Air India has ceased all operations to the region as well as to and from the East Coast of North America and Europe with immediate effect, until further notice," a spokesperson of the airline said.
'Our India-bound flights from North America are diverting back to their respective origins and others are being diverted back to India or re-routed away from the closed airspace. We request the understanding of all passengers who may be affected by this disruption that's beyond an airline's control."
Airlines across the world were on fresh alert after Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait closed their countries' airspace temporarily as Iran attacked the Al Udeid U.S. military base in Doha.
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