Airlines cancel flights to the Middle East as conflict spirals

The closure of airspaces by the affected countries will impact schedules of flights from India to Europe, UK and North AmericaThe closure of airspaces by the affected countries will impact schedules of flights from India to Europe, UK and North America

Indian carriers, IndiGo and Air India, cancelled flights to the Middle East following the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran.

“In view of the developing situation in parts of the Middle East, all Air India flights to all destinations in the Middle East have been suspended," an advisory issued by Air India stated.

"In view of evolving airspace restrictions around Iran and Middle East, all flights to and from Middle East are cancelled till 0000hrs," IndiGo said in a statement.

Low cost carrier SpiceJet advised its passengers to check flight status as some of its flights were affected by the airspace closure in Dubai.

Earlier is the day Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei became the target of Saturday's joint Israel-US strike on Tehran, per Israel's public broadcaster.

At least eight countries - Iran, Israel, Iraq, Jordan, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates - closed their airspace.

The closure of airspace impacted all other global carriers. Turkish Airlines, one of the biggest carriers in the region, cancelled flights to Lebanon, Syria and Iraq. Qatar Airways suspended flights also.

"Qatar Airways Group confirms the temporary suspension of its flights to, and from, Doha due to the closure of Qatari airspace," the airline said.

The closure of airspaces by the affected countries will impact schedules of flights from India to Europe, UK and North America also, said market experts as these flights will have circumnavigate these regions.

The Middle East is the biggest market for Indian carriers with connectivity to a variety of Indian cities.