Indian airlines, including Air India, Air India Express, and IndiGo, cancelled multiple flights to the United Arab Emirates on Sunday, March 15, 2026. United Arab Emirates authorities restricted airspace and airport operations due to the ongoing military conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran.
Air India operated a single Delhi-Dubai return flight and cancelled four of its five planned services. Air India Express operated one Delhi-Dubai return flight and cancelled five of its six Dubai routes. Air India Express cancelled all five of its scheduled flights to Abu Dhabi. The two carriers initially scheduled a combined 72 flights to and from West Asia for Sunday.
The flight suspensions follow a late February 2026 escalation in the regional war. Iranian retaliatory drone and missile strikes targeted infrastructure near major United Arab Emirates hubs, including Dubai and Fujairah. The United States State Department previously instructed American citizens to depart the country. Aviation analytics firm Cirium reported over 13,000 flights into and out of the Middle East have been cancelled since the conflict began.
Indian carriers introduced fuel surcharges citing aviation turbine fuel price spikes linked to the conflict. Akasa Air added surcharges ranging from Rs 199 to Rs 1,300 per ticket. IndiGo implemented surcharges between Rs 425 and Rs 2,300. Air India and Air India Express instituted a flat Rs 399 surcharge on domestic tickets, which took effect March 12. Passengers affected by Sunday’s cancellations are receiving offers for free travel rescheduling or full refunds.