Air India diverts 16 international flights amid Israel-Iran conflict

Air India on Friday said 16 of its international flights are either being diverted or returning to their origin following the closure of airspace amid the Israel-Iran conflict.

“Due to the emerging situation in Iran, the subsequent closure of its airspace and in view of the safety of our passengers, the following Air India flights are either being diverted or returning to their origin,” the Tata group-owned airline said.

Here are the affected flights:

AI130 – London Heathrow-Mumbai – Diverted to Vienna

AI102 – New York-Delhi – Diverted to Sharjah

AI116 – New York-Mumbai – Diverted to Jeddah

AI2018 – London Heathrow-Delhi – Diverted to Mumbai

AI129 – Mumbai-London Heathrow – Returning to Mumbai

AI119 – Mumbai-New York – Returning to Mumbai

AI103 – Delhi-Washington – Returning to Delhi

AI106 – Newark-Delhi – Diverting to Vienna

AI188 – Vancouver-Delhi – Diverting to Jeddah

AI101 – Delhi-New York – Diverting to Frankfurt/Milan

AI126 – Chicago-Delhi – Diverting to Jeddah

AI132 – London Heathrow-Bengaluru – Diverted to Sharjah

AI2016 – London Heathrow-Delhi – Diverted to Vienna

AI104 – Washington-Delhi – Diverted to Vienna

AI190 – Toronto-Delhi – Diverted to Frankfurt

AI189 – Delhi-Toronto – Returning to Delhi

Air India said it regrets the inconvenience caused to the passengers due to this unforeseen disruption and is making every effort to minimise it, including providing accommodation for passengers. “Refunds on cancellation or complimentary rescheduling is also being offered to guests who opt for it. Alternative arrangements are being made to fly passengers to their destinations,” the airline said.

Budget carrier IndiGo, too, issued an advisory due to airspace closure over Iran and nearby regions. "Some flight routes may be impacted—potentially causing longer travel times or cancellations. Please check your flight status on our website or app before heading to the airport. Our teams are fully prepared and readily available to assist you," the airline said.

On Friday morning, Israel carried out a wave of attacks on Iran, striking nuclear and missile sites and eliminating the country’s three highest-ranking generals. The escalation led to the closure of the airspace in the region.

In a separate incident, an Air India flight flying from Phuket to Delhi returned to Phuket. The airline has yet to issue any statement on this.

This comes a day after an Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner flying from Ahmedabad to London's Gatwick airport crashed into a medical college hostel shortly after take-off near the Ahmedabad airport. Air India confirmed 241 fatalities in the crash. The lone survivor is a British national of Indian origin who is being treated in a hospital.

The ill-fated plane’s passengers comprised 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, 7 Portuguese nationals and 1 Canadian national.

Air India said it is giving its full cooperation to the authorities investigating this incident.