US-Israel attack on Iran: Flight disruptions hit passengers across India
New Delhi: Passengers across India faced major inconvenience due to flight disruptions and cancellations following the US-Israel attack on Iran.
In Maharashtra, travellers complained of long waiting hours and cancelled flights.
Speaking to IANS, one passenger said, “Our flight was scheduled around 8:30, but it got cancelled. Right now, we are waiting for the next flight, and we will leave as soon as it departs.”
Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport saw nearly 98 flights cancelled as airlines pulled services over safety fears.
Meanwhile, Chandigarh airport authorities confirmed disruptions in air traffic management. On Saturday, only one Dubai-bound departure was cancelled, but on Sunday, both arrival and departure flights to Dubai have been affected.
Thiruvananthapuram International Airport also saw a significant impact, with 17 arrival flights and as many departure flights cancelled, leaving many passengers stranded.
The cancellations are part of a broader regional disruption triggered by a joint US-Israel attack on Iran, which led to retaliatory strikes by Tehran on Israeli and US military bases across several Gulf nations, forcing multiple countries in the region to close their airspace and halt civilian air traffic.
In Nepal, the effects were similarly severe. More than a dozen scheduled flights between Nepal and Gulf cities were cancelled on Saturday.
The Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) Authority under the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) reported that 14 flights departing from Kathmandu to West Asian destinations, as well as arrivals from those cities, were cancelled.
Airlines affected included Nepal Airlines, Himalaya Airlines, Qatar Airways, Air Arabia, Fly Dubai, and Kuwait Airways. Himalaya Airlines cancelled six flights – the highest among carriers.
The widespread cancellations left many passengers stranded, creating overcrowding in terminals as travellers awaited further updates. Authorities continue to monitor the situation closely and advise passengers to check flight schedules before heading to airports.