As US-Iran-Israel tensions flare, platforms signal short-term hit on India's outbound travel

--

• Indian travel platforms report increased queries amid Iran-Israel tensions.
• Airlines reroute or suspend flights due to closed airspace
• AI-powered calls and real-time updates assist affected travelers

Did our AI summary help?

As tensions escalate in the ongoing Iran–US–Israel conflict, Indian travel platforms are stepping up real-time communication efforts as travel queries rise.

The situation in West Asia has led to a spike in traveller queries, mostly around flight schedules and transit routes, Arun Bagaria, CEO and Co-Founder, TravClan, told Moneycontrol.

"At this stage, we are not seeing widespread cancellations. It’s more about travellers seeking clarity or considering alternate dates," he added

This is peak outbound season from India due to summer holidays, so even small disruptions feel amplified. Suspension of flights can lead to short-term fare changes, Bagaria added.

There is a rise in precautionary queries, especially for routes transiting via the UAE, noted Govind Gaur, CEO, WanderOn. "Many travellers are opting for flexible rescheduling of their travel plans."

"We are focusing on providing real-time updates, support rebookings, and help agents guide travellers calmly and confidently," he said.

Gaur is anticipating a short term impact on India's outbound travel momentum.

Online travel aggregator (OTA) ixigo js initiating proactive AI-powered voice calls to assist impacted travellers.

EaseMyTrip team also noted that they are closely tracking developments and will extend full assistance wherever required.

Due to the ongoing military escalation between Iran and Israel, airspace in both countries remains closed for civilian flight operations as a precautionary measure, noted Rikant Pittie, CEO and Co-Founder of EaseMyTrip.

He added that airlines are actively rerouting flights to ensure passenger safety. However, travelers transiting through or around the region may experience longer flight durations, schedule adjustments, or operational changes.

With parts of the Middle East witnessing heightened geopolitical instability, multiple international carriers have either cancelled, suspended, or rerouted flights due to airspace closures across affected regions. In response, Gurugram-based online travel aggregator ixigo said it is actively monitoring the evolving situation and issuing regular travel advisories to keep customers updated on airline and airport operations.

“To better support our customers during this period, we have initiated proactive Voice AI calling for those whose travel plans may be affected, offering timely information and assistance with changes or alternatives,” the company said in a statement. The AI-driven outreach aims to address traveller queries at scale amid rising uncertainty and dynamic flight schedules.

The advisory comes as several airlines recalibrate operations in the region.

Air India has suspended flights to all destinations in West Asia until further notice, citing passenger safety and operational challenges stemming from restricted airspace access.

WanderOn is providing alternate route options. "We are also suggesting travellers to reschedule depending on our understanding of the situation," Gaur said.

Pittie also advised travellers to monitor official airline updates regularly, keep return travel plans flexible and secure confirmed bookings in advance if planning travel in the coming days.

Travel platforms are increasingly leveraging automation and AI tools to manage customer communication surges during crises — a shift that reflects broader digital transformation within the sector.

During one of the major flight disruptions due to the IndiGo crisis in December last year, ixigo's AI agent had handled maximum number of queries.

About 3.81 million customer queries for Q3 FY26 were handled by AI across chat and voice, out of which just during the impacted period, 150,000 calls were handled through AI when the disruption was peaking between December 1-9.

In the December quarter, over 76 percent of voice calls were handled end-to-end by AI, while in December, when the crisis unfolded, proactive voice calling was stepped up, with AI handling 90 percent of all calls in December.

Even during Operation Sindoor when there were airspace closures that were changing every day, there was a lot of flux. "We had proactively informed all the customers which would be impacted, before they would even reach out to us," Aloke Bajpai, Chairman, Managing Director & Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO), ixigo, had told Moneycontrol in an earlier interview.