Domestic airlines are in no hurry to fully resume operations over Middle East airspace, opting instead for a cautious, wait-and-watch approach despite early signs of easing geopolitical tensions in the region.
Executives across carriers said flight paths through sensitive corridors near Iran will remain restricted until there is clear, sustained evidence of stability, underscoring concerns that the situation could deteriorate quickly.
“Resuming in a rush does not make sense at this point,” a senior airline official said. “The situation remains fluid, and the risks of sudden escalation cannot be ruled out.”
The conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran had led to widespread airspace closures beginning February 28, disrupting international flight networks and forcing airlines to reroute or suspend services.
Alternative Corridors
Operations across the Middle East remain patchy. In the UAE, airlines are running limited, non-scheduled commercial flights based on safety assessments. Flights continue from airports in Saudi Arabia and Oman to India, while Qatar’s airspace is only partially open, with Qatar Airways expected to operate 8–10 flights to India on Wednesday.
Kuwait and Bahrain, however, remain largely closed. Carriers such as Jazeera Airways, Kuwait Airways and Gulf Air are operating special flights from Dammam in Saudi Arabia to maintain connectivity with India. Alternative transit corridors have been activated, via Egypt and Jordan for those in Israel; through Jordan and Saudi Arabia for travellers from Iraq; and via Saudi Arabia for passengers from Kuwait and Bahrain.
Commercially Unviable
Airlines say the uncertainty has been compounded by weak passenger demand. Flights to existing routes in the region are reporting low occupancy levels, particularly on outbound routes from India, making it commercially unviable to scale up operations.
“With demand still muted and uncertainty persisting, restoring capacity aggressively would not be prudent. Neither tourists nor workers are in a hurry to return so soon,” another airline executive said.
Industry insiders noted that airlines are balancing operational readiness with financial discipline, wary of deploying capacity that may not see adequate passenger loads.
A broader resumption of services, they added, will depend not only on geopolitical stability but also on a tangible recovery in travel demand.
The government, meanwhile, said it is closely monitoring the evolving situation. The Ministry of Civil Aviation on Tuesday said it remains in constant coordination with airlines and other stakeholders as conditions develop.
Since February 28, about 760,000 passengers have travelled from the region to India, reflecting continued, albeit constrained, connectivity. While the government has not disclosed outbound figures, industry sources estimate them to be in the low thousands.
However, an executive said that if outbound traffic rises sharply, airlines will add routes to safer areas in the region while continuing to avoid the critical zones.