40 flights carrying 7,205 passengers arrived in India from West Asia on March 5: MoCA

NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Civil Aviation is closely monitoring the evolving situation in West Asia that is affecting air travel between India and the region, according to an official statement. The ministry said airlines are making necessary operational adjustments in view of prevailing conditions to ensure passenger safety and the orderly conduct of flight operations.

As per the official statement, passenger movement data for March 5 shows that a total of 40 inbound flights operated by Indian carriers arrived in India from the West Asia region, carrying 7,205 passengers. With this, the cumulative number of passenger arrivals from the region has reached 14,992. The ministry further said that for March 6, 2026, a total of 51 flights are planned to be operated by Indian carriers, subject to operational feasibility and prevailing conditions in the region.

According to the statement, the Ministry of Civil Aviation is in continuous contact with airlines and is also closely monitoring airfares to ensure that there is no undue surge in ticket prices during this period. “The Ministry continues to maintain close coordination with airlines and relevant stakeholders and is monitoring the situation to facilitate passenger movement and minimise disruption. Passengers are advised to remain in contact with their respective airlines for the latest updates regarding flight schedules,” the ministry said, adding that further updates will be issued as necessary.

Earlier, the ministry had confirmed that a total of 281 flights scheduled to operate on Thursday by Indian domestic carriers were cancelled amid the evolving situation in West Asia. The Ministry of Civil Aviation said it continues to closely monitor the developments and take necessary steps to manage the impact on air travel.

In a post on X, the ministry said, “The Ministry of Civil Aviation continues to closely monitor the evolving situation in West Asia. As of March 5, a total of 281 flights scheduled to operate today by Indian domestic carriers have been cancelled.”

Due to the ongoing developments in West Asia and the resulting airspace restrictions, flight operations have been impacted across several sectors. A total of 96 flight operations were scheduled today by Indian domestic carriers to and from destinations in the West Asia. As of 6…

— MoCA_GoI (@MoCA_GoI) March 6, 2026

The ministry also said that a dedicated Passenger Assistance Control Room (PACR) is functioning round the clock to provide real-time support to travellers. A total of 1,461 grievances have been addressed during this period through the AirSewa portal, social media platforms and helpline calls in coordination with airlines and other stakeholders.

This comes amid escalating tensions in West Asia after a joint US-Israel military strike on February 28 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 seventh day. Tehran responded with counter-strikes targeting American military bases and other Israeli assets across the region. (ANI)