The prolonged US-Iran conflict has caused approximately 26,000 international flight cancellations by Indian carriers till July 20, 2026, according to minister of state for civil aviation Murlidhar Mohol. As per The Times of India, the conflict, which began in late February, has severely disrupted international operations due to restrictions on airspace use. Airlines have also faced significant flight diversions and delays across carriers and airports, while longer flying routes have increased fuel consumption and operating expenses. The government confirmed that carriers are suffering significant revenue losses but are taking steps to keep services running. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued several advisories to ensure passenger, crew and aircraft safety in view of regional conflict risks.
Air France has extended its flight suspensions to the UAE as Middle East tensions persist, with Dubai flights suspended until July 27, 2026 and departures cancelled until July 28, 2026. The airline has also extended its suspension of Riyadh flights until July 24, 2026 with departures affected until July 25, 2026. Additionally, Air France has extended its suspension of Beirut services until August 2, 2026, with affected passengers being contacted directly. The airline has introduced commercial measures allowing customers to cancel or postpone their trips without additional charges, even if flights have not been officially cancelled. Passengers who booked directly with Air France can manage changes through the My Bookings section, while those who booked through travel agencies can contact their point of sale.
A significant divide has emerged among Indian aviation professionals as renewed US-Iran hostilities raise safety concerns for Gulf operations. The Airline Pilots' Association of India (Alpa India) has written to civil aviation minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), seeking immediate suspension of commercial flights to the United Arab Emirates until authorities complete a comprehensive security assessment. However, the Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP), the country's largest pilots' association with over 6,000 members, opposes any move to suspend flights, arguing that Indian airlines should not voluntarily cede operations while foreign carriers continue to fly. As per Mint, Alpa president Sam Thomas wrote in a letter dated 20 July that the security situation has deteriorated further, citing explicit threats directed against Dubai and Abu Dhabi coupled with continuing military escalation in the region. This represents Alpa's second appeal this year, following an earlier communication sent to the DGCA on 27 March urging precautionary measures as geopolitical tensions escalated.
Indian carriers face potential disruption to their recovery efforts following pilot body demands for flight suspensions to the UAE. The UAE represents India's largest international aviation market, accounting for 26.2% of total international passenger traffic in the first quarter of calendar year 2026. The India-Dubai market alone contributes 13% of total international passenger traffic, while India-Abu Dhabi adds another 8.3%, making these two routes the most critical in the region. According to Mint, the region accounts for about one-third of Indian airlines' international operations, with the UAE remaining India's busiest international market this month despite a 6% year-on-year reduction in capacity to 1.1 million seats. Any suspension would significantly disrupt one of India's busiest international aviation corridors, affecting both expatriate traffic and passengers connecting through Gulf hubs to Europe, North America and Africa.
A potential suspension would significantly impact Indian carriers' operations, as reported by Business Standard. More than 170 daily flights operate directly between India and the UAE, connecting 20 Indian cities with Dubai and 19 with Abu Dhabi. Nearly half of passenger traffic on these key routes is carried by Emirates (Dubai) and Etihad Airways (Abu Dhabi), with the remainder operated by Indian carriers. Tata Group-backed Air India has pegged losses at nearly ₹5,000 crore due to the longer flying hours required to avoid conflict zones. As per Mint, Indian carriers are already taking longer routes to Gulf countries in view of continued airspace closure over Pakistan since April last year. According to industry executives, Indian carriers, led by IndiGo and Air India Express, have only recently started restoring services to Gulf destinations after months of disruption, with Air India, Akasa Air and SpiceJet operating hundreds of weekly flights to the UAE. The DGCA has not issued any directive restricting flights to the UAE, though it had previously coordinated with airlines to reroute aircraft from unsafe airspaces.
The potential disruption extends beyond the UAE to other key Gulf markets where India maintains significant exposure. According to Mint, Saudi Arabia is the second-largest overseas market for Indian carriers, with nearly 310,000 seats, followed by Qatar, Oman and Kuwait. If tensions escalate with renewed attacks involving Iran and the US, these additional markets could face similar risks, limiting the ability of Indian carriers to redeploy grounded capacity to alternative routes. The region has repeatedly disrupted global flight operations following the US and Israeli strikes on Iran that began on 28 February 2026. During the war's early phase, prior to the June interim agreement between the US and Iran that was soon nixed, the DGCA had issued directives for airlines to avoid nine high-risk airspaces in West Asia: Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Qatar, and the UAE, with flights required to stay above 32,000 feet via Saudi Arabia and Oman.
