Amid escalating tensions in the Middle East following Iranian missile strikes on US base in Qatar, Air India suspends flights on Tuesday morning (June 24) announced the immediate suspension of all flights to the region and routes connecting to the East Coast of North America and Europe.

“Amid the developing situation in the Middle East, Air India has ceased all operations to the region as well as to and from the East Coast of North America and Europe with immediate effect, until further notice,” an Air India spokesperson said in a statement.

Air India has temporarily suspended services to several European cities and five North American airports — New York, Newark, Chicago, Washington, and Toronto.

Following Iran’s missile strike on a US airbase in Qatar, multiple countries, including Qatar, have shut their airspace, disrupting regional and international flight operations.

The decision follows heightened geopolitical instability in the region after Iran’s retaliatory missile attacks on US military installations, including the Al Udeid base in Qatar.

Air India suspends flights diverted and re-routed

According to the airline, all India-bound flights from North America are either returning to their points of origin or being re-routed away from conflict zones and closed airspaces.

“Our India-bound flights from North America are diverting back to their respective origins, and others are being diverted back to India or re-routed away from the closed airspaces,” the spokesperson explained.

Air India has urged travelers to remain patient as the crisis unfolds.

“We request the understanding of all passengers who may be affected by this disruption that’s beyond an airline’s control,” the airline said, noting that it is closely monitoring the situation.

Safety remains top priority

Reassuring the public, Air India emphasized that the safety of its passengers and crew remains paramount.

“Air India is in continuous consultation with its external security advisors and is vigilantly monitoring the evolving situation. We will keep our passengers informed of any updates. The safety and security of our passengers and staff remain our number one priority,” the statement concluded.

Air India Express flights disrupted

Air India Express has also been affected, with some flights diverted. “As a result of the ongoing situation in the Middle East and suspension of Qatar airspace, Air India Express has diverted our Doha-bound flight from Kochi to Muscat and returned our flight bound from Kannur,” the airline said in a statement.

Air India Express operates 25 weekly flights to Doha, with direct services from Kannur, Kochi, Kozhikode, Mangaluru, Thiruvananthapuram, and Tiruchchirappalli. Additionally, the airline connects Doha to eight Indian cities — Bengaluru, Bhubaneswar, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai, and Pune — via one-stop flights.

The suspension adds to a growing list of global carriers redirecting or grounding flights amid fears of a wider regional conflict.