Flight operations to several West Asian countries have been disrupted due to heightened tensions linked to the US-Iran conflict, airlines and industry sources said in Chennai.
Services to destinations such as Dubai and Sharjah have been among the most affected since February 28. While authorities in Dubai permitted operations by airlines from select countries to help stranded passengers depart, air traffic has not yet returned to normal.
From Chennai, carriers including Etihad, Air India Express, IndiGo, Gulf Air, Qatar Airways and Air Arabia operate flights to Kuwait, Abu Dhabi, Muscat, Bahrain and Doha. Many travellers had booked tickets months in advance and are now uncertain whether flights will operate as scheduled and whether fares would be refunded if services are cancelled.
Airline sources said only a limited set of operators—Emirates, Air Arabia, Oman Air and SalamAir—are currently willing to run services to the region, while other foreign carriers have not come forward. The situation could continue for about a week.
They added that, as per standard operating procedures, passengers will receive timely updates on cancellations, refunds and options to reschedule travel. Airlines assured that ticket fares would be refunded in full, without any deductions.
