Etihad Airways flight from Abu Dhabi arrives safely in Bengaluru amid West Asia conflict

BENGALURU: Etihad Airways flight EY-262 from Abu Dhabi to Bengaluru safely arrived at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru despite the concerns about air travel due to the war situation involving Iran in the Middle East.

Due to the rising war tensions in the Middle East region between Iran, the US, and Israel, an atmosphere of concern has developed among Indians living in that region. Passengers who arrived at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru from Abu Dhabi said that the situation in the UAE was comparatively better than in Kuwait and Bahrain.

However, they also expressed fear that if the war continues in the coming days, it could affect the lives of Indians working in the Middle East. They expressed hope that the conflict will end soon and that everyone will be able to live peacefully.

#WATCH | Bengaluru, Karnataka: Amid the flight disruptions in the wake of the Israel-Iran conflict from the past few days, the first flight from Abu Dhabi has landed at the Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru.

A passenger says, “… Once we got stuck in the Abu Dhabi… pic.twitter.com/j9NOFXWl78

— ANI (@ANI) March 2, 2026

A passenger from Abu Dhabi said there was no problem and the government was very helpful and supportive. “There is no problem actually, but in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, there is. But the government are very helpful and supportive. We are working in the healthcare department, and it is running very smoothly. Personally, the current situation is okay now,” the passenger said.

Another passenger urged people not to follow fake news on social media and said not to panic, as all things are under control. “No need to panic. All things are in control. I think I need to follow genuine sites and genuine news instead of following fake news on social media. Try to see what the government is giving the updates and all. Especially the Dubai government and the Abu Dhabi government. They are giving day-to-day updates. Follow that. There is no panic. Everything is going normal,” the passenger said.

Another passenger dismissed reports circulating on Indian media and social media about attacks on Dubai landmarks and urged people not to believe any fake news.

“Especially in Indian media, showing that Burj Khalifa has been hit, some walls have been hit and all. It’s all fake news. Don’t believe all those things. Whenever there is an interception, there is something, debris, and all falling down. There will be some smoke out of it. That’s happening. And because of that, only some minor injuries are happening. Otherwise, things are normal. Business is working normal. The office is normal. You can see the people in Dubai, you know, malls, everything. So everything is normal,” the passenger added.

A special flight from Abu Dhabi has arrived at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport in Delhi as well, bringing home citizens stranded due to the ongoing West Asia airspace crisis. A passenger, Shamsher Khan, at Delhi Airport, said they were informed by the local government in advance to move to safe zones and refrain from venturing outside in Abu Dhabi.

“I have come from Abu Dhabi. We have been living there for 2 years. Given the current atmosphere of conflict, specifically the drones being launched from Iran towards Abu Dhabi, we are informed in advance to move to safe zones, remain inside our rooms, and refrain from venturing outside. The local government is handling these issues,” said Khan.

Another passenger, Rashi, who arrived on a special flight from Abu Dhabi at IGI Airport, said the situation is not very bad in Dubai as the drones flying in the sky are being intercepted. “The situation is not very bad in Dubai. There are problems in some places. Our flight was also on time. There are some drones flying in the sky, but they are being intercepted,” said Rashi.

Another special flight has arrived from Abu Dhabi at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad. A passenger at Hyderabad Airport said the situation is absolutely normal in Abu Dhabi as the administration there is protecting very well.

“I went there three months ago. The situation is absolutely normal. There is nothing to worry about. The administration there is protecting us very well,” said the passenger.

Meanwhile, a special flight from Dubai carrying Indian nationals has arrived at Cochin International Airport (CIAL) in Kerala as well amid the ongoing West Asia airspace crisis. (ANI)