Air India Group Bolsters West Asia Flight Operations Amid Geopolitical Concerns

As geopolitical tensions continue to impact air travel in the West Asia region, the Air India Group is actively adjusting its operations to maintain connectivity for travelers to and from the Middle East. The group, encompassing Air India and Air India Express, is prioritizing service to key destinations whereas closely monitoring the evolving security landscape.

Flight Schedules and Operational Adjustments

On March 12, 2026, Air India and Air India Express operated a combined 58 scheduled and non-scheduled flights to and from various destinations in West Asia . This includes ten flights to and from Jeddah and eight scheduled flights to and from Muscat . Both airlines are operating one non-scheduled round-trip flight each to Riyadh on March 13, departing from Mumbai and Kozhikode respectively .

Air India will operate one round-trip service from Delhi and two round-trips from Mumbai to Jeddah. Air India Express will operate one round-trip each from Bengaluru and Kozhikode to Jeddah. For Oman operations, Air India Express will maintain its scheduled services to Muscat, including one round-trip each from Delhi and Mumbai and two round-trips from Kozhikode .

Additional Capacity and Contingency Planning

The Air India Group plans to operate 40 additional non-scheduled flights to and from the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, contingent upon slot availability and conditions at departure airports . Passengers booked on cancelled flights are being offered no-fee rebooking options or full refunds. Air India Express is proactively contacting customers in the UAE via its WhatsApp bot, “Tia,” to facilitate itinerary changes.

The airline is “exploring every opportunity” to add further flights if the security situation deteriorates, emphasizing the need for real-time travel monitoring by multinational firms with personnel in the region .

Impact on Travelers

These adjustments aim to reassure the approximately 8 million-strong Indian diaspora in the Gulf, many of whom are traveling ahead of Ramadan, and to provide capacity for corporate travelers . Travelers are advised to build in ample contingency time and ensure their mobile numbers are registered with the airline to receive schedule updates.

As of March 13, 2026, Air India and Air India Express will together operate a total of 78 scheduled and non-scheduled flights to and from the West Asia region .