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‘We were diverted mid-air’: Passengers recount India-Gulf flight disruptions
For many passengers, the experience has been unsettling and hard to believe
- PUBLISHED: Sat 28 Feb 2026, 5:49 PM
[Editor's Note: Follow Khaleej Times live blog amid Israeli, US strikes on Iran for the latest regional developments.]
Air travel between India and the GCC have been disrupted after tensions involving Iran, the US and Israel. The conflict has forced airlines to cancel and divert several flights, leaving passengers scrambling to rearrange travel plans.
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Air India Express announced that all its flights to the Gulf region have been temporarily suspended, advising passengers to check their flight status and update contact details as airlines continue to monitor the situation.
Among the affected services was Air India Express flight IX 832 from Dubai to Mangaluru, scheduled to depart on February 28, which was cancelled, according to the Flight Radar App.
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“I got the information of flight cancellation when I was on my way to the airport at around 12pm. The flight was scheduled at 5pm and was delayed. And finally we were informed about the cancellation,” said Abdullah, who then returned home.
Some passengers said that uncertainty began mid-journey for some travellers already in the air.
One Indian passenger travelling from Mangaluru to Doha on Air India Express flight IX 821 said the journey took an unexpected turn shortly after departure.
“We took off normally and everything was calm,” said Rahman, who was travelling to Doha for work.
“After half an hour, the pilot made an announcement saying there were security concerns due to the situation in the region and the aircraft would be diverted.”
The Doha-bound flight was diverted to Mumbai, according to flight information shared with passengers.
“There was silence inside the aircraft when the announcement came,” said Rahman.
Another traveller scheduled to fly from Mumbai to Dubai said his flight was cancelled just hours before departure, forcing him to postpone an important business trip.
“I was already at the airport preparing to travel to Dubai when we received a message that the flight had been cancelled,” said Zak, a UAE resident returning from India after visiting family.
“The airline said operations were affected due to the regional situation. My family became worried after seeing news about the conflict.”
For many passengers, the experience has been unsettling and hard to believe.
SM Ayaz Zakir is a Senior Correspondent with a flair for extraordinary stories. His playground? Every corner of the UAE. He often ventures into remote corners of the country to capture compelling news and human interest stories.
