If you are flying out of India to the Gulf this week, you need to check your flight status right now. The ongoing US-Iran war has severely restricted Middle East airspace, and it is completely upending daily travel plans. As of Monday, April 6, 2026, major carriers are shifting away from scheduled routes in favor of day-by-day clearances. Air India and IndiGo just issued a major travel update limiting operations to the region, according to a detailed report released this morning.
The sheer logistics of navigating the restricted airspace are forcing airlines to adapt hourly. Air India and its subsidiary Air India Express will operate a combined 30 flights to and from West Asia today. That includes 10 non-scheduled, ad hoc flights to the United Arab Emirates.
Getty Images
These flights are entirely dependent on getting last-minute regulatory clearance and slot availability. Regular scheduled operations to massive hubs like Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, and Ras Al Khaimah are suspended for now. They are replacing them with these temporary ad hoc flights whenever they can safely secure a route.
Not every destination is cut off. If you are heading to Saudi Arabia or Oman, you have better news. Scheduled services to Jeddah, Riyadh, and Muscat remain fully active. But flights to Salalah and Al Ain are totally suspended. IndiGo is taking a similarly cautious approach. They are running selective operations to the Middle East and urging every single passenger to constantly verify their boarding status. The global travel industry is watching this closely, but Air India confirmed its long-haul flights to North America, Europe, and Australia remain completely unaffected.
If your Air India Express flight or IndiGo trip gets caught in these cancellations, you have options. Both airlines are offering full refunds. You can also rebook on suspended routes for free. Other competitors like Air Asia are dealing with the exact same ad hoc limitations. Gulf carriers like Etihad Airways are even slashing long-haul fares to try and offset the massive drop in demand caused by the regional conflict. We are seeing a complete operational policy shift. Standard route maps are out. Dynamic, 24-hour localized planning is the new reality for anyone flying through the Gulf corridor.