If you've been stuck at an airport in the Middle East over the last few days, you know the literal meaning of chaos. Thousands of Indian expats and travelers found themselves in a high-stakes waiting game as airspace across the region blinked on and off like a faulty neon sign. But there's finally some movement. Air India and Air India Express have stepped up, announcing a massive push of around 50 services today, March 7, to pull stranded passengers out of the Gulf.
It isn't just about a few extra planes. It’s about navigating a geopolitical minefield while trying to clear a backlog that’s been building since late February. Read more on a connected subject: this related article.
The logistics of getting you home
The Air India Group isn't playing around with this one. They’ve coordinated a mix of scheduled flights and ad-hoc "non-scheduled" rotations to bridge the gap. We’re talking about connections between major Indian hubs like Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Kochi to the pressure points in the Gulf.
The focus is clearly on the UAE and Oman. Since the airspace over Saudi Arabia and Oman has been deemed safe, the airlines are funneling as many people as possible through these corridors. Here’s the breakdown of where those extra wings are heading: More reporting by AFAR highlights related views on the subject.
- Dubai (DXB): Air India is running special loops from Mumbai and Delhi. Air India Express is adding flights from Mumbai, Delhi, and Bengaluru.
- Ras Al Khaimah (RKT): This has become a surprise hero in the evacuation strategy. Air India Express is running multiple flights from Kochi, Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru to this secondary UAE hub to bypass the congestion in Dubai.
- Abu Dhabi (AUH) & Sharjah (SHJ): Extra rotations are active from Mumbai and Bengaluru.
- Muscat (MCT): Additional non-scheduled flights are linking Muscat to Delhi and Mumbai.
If you’re sitting in Bahrain, Dammam, or Kuwait, the news is a bit grimmer. Scheduled flights to those spots are mostly staying on ice until at least March 10 or 13, depending on the carrier. The focus today is purely on where the "green zones" allow for safe takeoffs.
Why the sudden rush
This isn't just a random schedule change. The ongoing conflict between Iran and Israel basically turned the Middle Eastern sky into a "no-go" zone for civilian aircraft overnight. When the strikes started, airlines had to pull the plug on hundreds of flights to avoid being anywhere near the crossfire.
I’ve seen this before in previous regional flare-ups. The first 48 hours are pure panic. Then, once the regulators and security teams map out "safe corridors," the repatriation begins. Today, March 7, represents the first window where the capacity actually matches the desperate demand of those who’ve been sleeping on airport benches.
What you need to do if you’re still stuck
Don't just show up at the airport hoping for a seat. That’s a rookie mistake that will leave you frustrated and further out of pocket. The airlines are being very specific about how they’re handling this.
Priority is going to people who already held bookings for flights that were cancelled between February 28 and March 8. If that’s you, the airline should be reaching out via the mobile number on your PNR. If they haven't, you need to be proactive.
Air India Express is actually being quite flexible here. If you had a flight from a cancelled station—say, Dubai to Jaipur—they’re letting you rebook onto a flight from a different station like Ras Al Khaimah to Delhi at no extra cost. It’s a bit of a "get yourself to the nearest open airport" situation.
The fine print on fees and refunds
Airlines usually love their "convenience fees," but the scale of this mess has forced their hand. For tickets issued on or before March 4 for travel up to March 10, both Air India and Air India Express are offering:
- Free Rebooking: You can move your travel date within one month of the original date without paying a change fee or the fare difference.
- Full Refunds: if you’ve decided to just cancel the trip and stay put, you're entitled to a full refund to your original payment mode.
IndiGo is doing something similar, but they’ve extended their waiver period all the way to March 31. It’s worth checking their specific portal if you were booked on one of their 144 cancelled international services today.
Looking at the bigger picture
The Ministry of Civil Aviation says over 7,000 passengers were brought back on March 5 alone. With 50 more flights today, the backlog should start to thin out, but it’s far from over. If you’re traveling to Europe or North America on Air India, keep in mind your flight might take a weird route. To avoid the hot zones, many long-haul flights are making technical stops in places like Rome or Vienna for refueling because the diverted flight paths are much longer.
Check your flight status every two hours. Airspace is dynamic right now. What’s open at 10:00 AM might be closed by noon if things escalate. Use the airline's WhatsApp bots or the "Manage Booking" section on their websites rather than calling the helpline, which is likely jammed with thousands of others doing the exact same thing.
Get your documents ready, keep your phone charged, and if you see an opening at an alternative airport like Ras Al Khaimah, take it. Waiting for your specific hometown airport to reopen might take another week you don't have.
