Mumbai: More than 88,000 passengers have been flown back from the Middle East by Indian and foreign airlines in the past seven days after the West Asia conflict escalated. The situation has led to the cancellation of more than 2,600 flights operated by Indian airlines’ since February 28.
From Stranded to Safe
The West Asia conflict left tens of thousands of Indians stranded in the Gulf countries from February 28, when the conflict escalated. Indian and foreign airlines started limited operations of flights to the Middle East from March 2 and have since flown more than 88,000 passengers, majority being Indians, from various Middle Eastern countries to India.
In the past week since the flight operations resumed, around 452 flights have been operated from the Middle East to India. This includes 286 flights by Indian airlines which carried 49,198 passengers and 166 foreign airlines, which transported 38,710 passengers to India. While dozens of airlines participated, three major carriers handled the bulk of the passenger traffic, IndiGo carried 20,901 passengers, Emirates carried 18,286 while Air India flew 10,745 passengers during this time.
Mumbai Airport Hit Hard
At Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, about 71 flights, including 35 arrivals and 36 departures, were cancelled on Monday. In total, about 830 flights have been cancelled by various airlines to and from Mumbai Airport.
According to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, 51 inbound flights operated by Indian carriers arrived in India from the region on Saturday carrying 8,175 passengers while 49 inbound flights arrived on Sunday from Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah, Muscat and Jeddah. Indian carriers had planned 50 flights for Monday.
