Home MENA Iran As Fighter Jets Fill the Sky, Civilian Planes Are Grounded — Air India and Emirates Face Heavy Disruptions

As Fighter Jets Fill the Sky, Civilian Planes Are Grounded — Air India and Emirates Face Heavy Disruptions

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As Fighter Jets Fill the Sky, Civilian Planes Are Grounded — Air India and Emirates Face Heavy Disruptions

Air travel across parts of the Middle East faced major disruption on 13 June 2025 after tensions between Israel and Iran suddenly worsened. As military conflict broke out, the airspace over Iran became unsafe for civilian planes. This forced several international airlines, including India’s national carrier Air India, to quickly change their flight paths or cancel trips altogether.

In response to the crisis, Air India issued a travel advisory to inform its passengers about the situation. The airline explained that it had to divert or return a total of 16 flights due to the closure of Iranian airspace. This included some of its major routes between India, Europe, and North America.

Many passengers were left stranded or delayed, but Air India promised to take care of them. In a public statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), the airline said it regretted the inconvenience caused by this sudden situation. They assured passengers that efforts were being made to reduce their trouble as much as possible. These included offering hotel stays, refunds, and alternative flight arrangements.

Sadly, the day before, tragedy had already struck the airline. A London-bound Air India flight, carrying 242 people, crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad airport on 12 June. It crashed into a medical college complex, killing everyone on board except one passenger. Although this crash is unrelated to the tensions in the Middle East, it added to the grim atmosphere surrounding the airline’s operations.

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Rerouted and Returned Flights of Air India

Here’s a breakdown of how Air India’s flights were affected due to the sudden closure of Iranian airspace on 13 June 2025.

Flights that were diverted to other airports:

  • AI130 (London to Mumbai): Landed in Vienna
  • AI102 (New York to Delhi): Rerouted to Sharjah
  • AI116 (New York to Mumbai): Sent to Jeddah
  • AI2018 (London to Delhi): Diverted to Mumbai
  • AI188 (Vancouver to Delhi): Redirected to Jeddah
  • AI101 (Delhi to New York): Headed to Frankfurt or Milan
  • AI126 (Chicago to Delhi): Flew to Jeddah
  • AI132 (London to Bengaluru): Diverted to Sharjah
  • AI2016 (London to Delhi): Rerouted to Vienna
  • AI104 (Washington to Delhi): Landed in Vienna
  • AI190 (Toronto to Delhi): Landed in Frankfurt

Flights that returned to where they came from:

  • AI129 (Mumbai to London): Returned to Mumbai
  • AI119 (Mumbai to New York): Flew back to Mumbai
  • AI103 (Delhi to Washington): Turned back to Delhi
  • AI106 (Newark to Delhi): Returned to Delhi
  • AI189 (Delhi to Toronto): Went back to Delhi

In all these cases, passengers experienced delays and unexpected landings. However, Air India’s teams were working hard to make sure everyone was safe, fed, and looked after while they waited for new arrangements.

More Airlines Join Disruptions

It wasn’t just Air India that was affected. Other international airlines were also forced to cancel or divert flights. For example, Emirates, a major airline from the United Arab Emirates, announced that it had canceled all flights to and from several Middle Eastern countries including Iran, Iraq, Jordan, and Lebanon.

The cancellations by Emirates were scheduled for both Friday and Saturday. The airline asked passengers to contact their travel agents or local offices to find new flight options. The decision came after Iran began launching drone attacks in response to Israeli airstrikes.

These actions caused a ripple effect through the airline industry, with many companies changing routes to avoid danger. Safety always comes first in aviation, and no airline wants to take risks when military activity is underway in the skies.

While the entire situation was fast-moving and unpredictable, the common goal of all airlines was to protect their passengers and crew. Although many travelers were inconvenienced, efforts were ongoing to keep everyone calm, informed, and as comfortable as possible during the unexpected delays.

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