Air Arabia flights between Coimbatore and Sharjah are cancelled until March 9 due to escalating tensions in West Asia. Hundreds of passengers are affected. Other airlines like SpiceJet and Emirates have also adjusted flight schedules amid the conflict.
Air Arabia Halts Coimbatore-Sharjah Flights
The flights operated by Air Arabia between Coimbatore and Sharjah have been cancelled until March 9 in the wake of the escalating tensions in West Asia.
According to officials, the flight from Coimbatore International Airport to Sharjah and the return flight have both been cancelled. Airport authorities stated that the decision was taken as a precautionary measure due to the unsafe airspace conditions prevailing in the West Asian region. Considering the cancellations have affected hundreds of passengers, including migrant workers and travellers who had planned to fly abroad during this period, the airport administration has advised them to contact the airlines for further updates.
"Passengers seeking further information have been advised to contact Air Arabia at 9087778081," the airport administration said.
On Wednesday, Air Arabia stated that it has temporarily suspended its flights to and from the UAE until Monday, till 15:00 (UAE time). The airline said a limited number of flights are operating in coordination with relevant authorities and are subject to operational and safety approvals. Passengers scheduled on operating flights will be notified directly, while others have been advised not to travel to the airport unless contacted by the airline.
Other Airlines Adjust Schedules Amid Disruptions
Along with Air Arabia, several other airlines have made adjustments to flight schedules amid continuing disruptions to flight operations due to the Iran conflict in the Middle East.
SpiceJet has announced the operation of multiple special flights from the United Arab Emirates to India to support passengers and ease connectivity concerns. The airline said on Wednesday that it continues to operate several additional services from key UAE cities, including Dubai and Fujairah, to Mumbai and Delhi. The special flights are aimed at assisting stranded passengers and ensuring smoother movement between the two countries during this period.
Subsequently, Emirates Airlines announced that all scheduled flights to and from Dubai will remain suspended until March 7 due to ongoing airspace closures across the region. In a statement, the airline said it continues to operate a limited flight schedule and is prioritising customers with existing bookings on these flights, and passengers transiting through Dubai will only be accepted if their connecting flights are operating as scheduled. The airline urged customers not to travel to the airport unless they have been directly notified by Emirates or hold confirmed bookings for the limited operating flights.
Background of the Regional Conflict
This comes amid escalating tensions in West Asia after a joint US-Israel military strike on Saturday on Iranian territory resulted in the death of its Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and other senior figures, prompting a fierce response from Tehran. In retaliation, Iran launched waves of drone and missile attacks across multiple Arab countries as the conflict now entered its sixth day.
(ANI)
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)