Subhechcha Ganguly 
Air travel disruptions continued on Tuesday even as the United Arab Emirates gradually resumed limited flight operations following heightened tensions in West Asia. A total of 36 departures and 44 arrivals were cancelled at Delhi airport during the day, reflecting the ripple effect of the regional crisis on international schedules.
The disruption follows a drone attack on the US Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, amid escalating hostilities involving the United States, Israel and Iran. US President Donald Trump told NewsNation that Washington would respond to the attacks, stating, “you’ll find out soon,” while indicating that the deployment of American ground troops was unlikely.
Airlines Adjust Schedules
Indian carriers announced a mix of resumptions and suspensions:
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IndiGo will operate ten special relief flights from Jeddah to Hyderabad, Mumbai, Delhi and Ahmedabad on March 3 to help clear stranded passengers.
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Akasa Air has suspended services to Abu Dhabi, Doha, Jeddah, Kuwait and Riyadh until March 3.
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Air India Express has resumed Muscat operations, but flights to Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia remain suspended until March 3.
UAE Airports Resume Partial Operations
According to the website of Zayed International Airport, passengers scheduled to travel were advised to check directly with their airlines before heading to the airport due to earlier airspace closures.
At Abu Dhabi, Etihad Airways flight EY236 to Bengaluru, operated by an A320 (A6-EIS), was listed as scheduled at 8:45 AM, according to FlightRadar24. Air India Express flight IX716 to Kannur at 10:35 AM and IX182 to Delhi at 1:40 PM were also scheduled.
However, disruptions persisted. IndiGo flight 6E1404 to Cochin scheduled for 2:00 PM was cancelled. Etihad flights EY240 to Ahmedabad and EY300 to Islamabad were marked as scheduled.
Operations at Dubai International Airport and Dubai World Central International Airport resumed in a limited capacity late Tuesday night. Airport authorities cautioned passengers against travelling without confirmed departure times, warning that schedules remain subject to change.
Mixed Status Across Other UAE Airports
At Ras Al Khaimah International Airport, several Air Arabia flights were scheduled to operate. IndiGo’s 10:30 PM Mumbai service (6E1491) was cancelled, while Air India Express flight IX331 to Kozhikode remained scheduled for departure at 11:50 PM. Another IndiGo service to Cochin (6E1517) scheduled for 12:25 AM was cancelled.
Meanwhile, operations continued at Sharjah International Airport. Air Arabia flight G9749 to Krakow, along with flights to Bahrain (G9108) and Dammam (G9161), were listed as scheduled departures. Flight G9957 to Moscow (Domodedovo) was also marked as scheduled.
Phased Resumption Amid Uncertainty
The overall picture remains mixed, with certain routes resuming operations while others continue to face suspension or cancellation. Airlines are working to accommodate stranded passengers, but authorities have urged travellers to remain in close contact with carriers for real-time updates.
With tensions in the region still high, aviation operations are expected to remain fluid over the coming days.
