Mumbai, March 1: Inside the gleaming, high-ceilinged Terminal 2 of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) on Sunday morning, which is usually the busiest day of the week, the usual hum of global transit was replaced by a heavy, anxious stillness. Under the cold glow of flight information displays, travellers stood with their eyes fixed on the red text blinking across the boards — Cancelled.
For the second consecutive day, the escalating conflict in the Middle East has paralysed India’s westbound air corridors. Following joint military strikes by the U.S. and Israel on Iran, and the subsequent closure of airspaces across the Gulf, around 854 flights were cancelled to and from Indian airports.
But behind the statistics of departures and arrivals lie the shattered plans of people who were excitedly looking forward to their respective journeys.
Athletes left stranded before championship
Outside the departure gates on Level P10, a group of nine young athletes stood in stunned silence. The young sportspersons, who had arrived in Mumbai from different parts of the country, were supposed to fly to Munich on Sunday morning to represent India at the European Ice Stock Championship, but they were welcomed with the ‘Cancelled’ status of their flight.
The connecting flight to Munich via Abu Dhabi was being operated by Etihad Airways, which is based in Abu Dhabi — one of the worst-affected Middle Eastern airports amid the ongoing tension.
These sportspersons from tropical climates had trained for more than a year on cement floors, dreaming of the day they would finally glide on the professional rinks of Germany for the World Championship and bring medals home.
Pragati Hude, who was the champion of the 14th Italian Ice Stock World Championship in 2022 and was participating in the German Championship for the second time, held a shiny new Indian flag in her hand with a sad face.
Talking to The Free Press Journal, she said, “We had worked very hard for this tournament, but at the last moment we got to know that our flight has been cancelled. We have practised for long months in our home states, won the national level championship in Kashmir, but now we stand here without any hope.”
“This is a very sad moment for us. I thought that I will not only participate in this tournament but also make India feel proud about it, but it's okay, we will try again next year. We will give our best next year,” said another member of the Indian team, Nisarga Gawli from Raigad.
Irfan Aziz Bota, the chief coach of the Indian team, said, “Unfortunately, war doesn't do good for anyone. We were planning for this tournament for so long and even booked the tickets a month in advance, but now we stand here as our flight has been cancelled.”
Pilgrims await flights to Jeddah
A few metres away, under one of the iconic peacock-feather-designed pillars of the Mumbai Airport, the mood was equally sombre for a group of pilgrims from Lucknow who were scheduled to fly to Jeddah on Saturday to perform Umrah.
Dressed in their travel attire for Umrah, these elderly pilgrims sat clueless for more than 24 hours, wondering how to successfully carry out the pilgrimage, which was the culmination of years of saving and spiritual preparation.
One of the pilgrims named Baby, a resident of Uttar Pradesh's Barabanki, said, “We had our flight at 7 pm yesterday, but as soon as we landed in Mumbai at around 2 pm, we were informed that the aircraft will not be flying. I don't know how to use a mobile phone and have forgotten to bring my family's numbers, so now I am waiting here for my family to reach out to me.”
While observing the day-long fast sitting outside the airport terminal, Rukman Ali from Uttar Pradesh's Sitapur said, “There is nobody to check on us here, but my son has said that the flights will start soon. So I am hopeful that once the flights start, we will be able to perform our pilgrimage.”
Fares surge, airlines cancel West-bound flights
The crisis hasn't just cancelled plans; it has made remaining options unreachable for many. With major hubs like Dubai and Abu Dhabi temporarily closed, the demand for direct non-stop flights to Europe and North America has skyrocketed.
Direct one-way fares from Mumbai to London went up to as high as Rs 1.40 lakh as carriers are now negotiating longer, more expensive paths over the Red Sea or Central Asia, adding hours to travel times and hundreds of dollars to fuel costs.
The conflict in the Middle Eastern skies has also impacted Indian airlines, which have cancelled various flights to the Gulf countries as well as to the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Europe. Air India has cancelled around 50 direct flights to the West in the past two days, while SpiceJet also cancelled around 33 flights to the Middle East.
Passengers stranded across regions
As the Indian aviation regulator maintains its emergency advisory, advising all Indian operators to avoid the affected airspace, the terminal remains a temporary home for the stranded. For the pilgrims from Lucknow and the athletes from across the country, the war in the Middle East is no longer a distant headline; it is the reason for their shattered dreams.
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While these people are stuck in their homeland, thousands of Indian passengers are stranded in the Middle East while on their journey to the West or waiting at airports like Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha, and Qatar to board a flight back home.
A group of eight Indian students travelling to Sharjah have reportedly landed at Pakistan's Karachi airport after their flight diverted mid-air due to airspace closure. Reports also claimed that the passports of the Indian passengers have been confiscated by the Pakistani immigration authorities.
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