The country’s premier commercial airliner, Air India, on Saturday announced the cancellation of several international flights scheduled for March 1, 2026 (Sunday), citing ongoing security concerns in the Middle East and the need to safeguard passengers and crew.
As per the announcement, Air India flights to several major cities, including London, New York, and Paris were cancelled as tensions in the Middle East threw air travel into chaos following a joint US-Israeli military operation against Iran. Flights need to cross the Middle East airspace, which was shut amid the ongoing conflict, to reach any of these cities.
In a statement, an Air India spokesperson said the decision was taken as part of a continuing assessment of the evolving regional situation.
“In the interest of the safety and security of our guests and staff, Air India has cancelled the following flights scheduled on 01 March 2026,” the airline said.
The affected services include multiple routes between Delhi and London (Heathrow), Mumbai and London (Heathrow), Amritsar and London (Gatwick), as well as flights connecting Delhi and Mumbai with New York (JFK), Newark, Chicago (via Vienna), Toronto (via Vienna), Frankfurt and Paris, the statement said.
The airline said it is reaching out to impacted passengers and offering alternative travel arrangements to minimise inconvenience.
“We sincerely regret the inconvenience caused to our valued guests by these disruptions, whom we are notifying of the cancellations and supporting with alternative options to minimise the inconvenience,” the spokesperson added.
Air India said it will continue to monitor developments closely and provide further updates based on its risk assessments.
– Ends
Published On:
Feb 28, 2026 23:01 IST
