New Delhi, Mar 11: The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) is closely monitoring developments in the West Asia region and assessing their potential impact on air travel between India and countries in the area, the ministry said on Tuesday.
Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu is personally overseeing the situation and maintaining direct engagement with all relevant stakeholders to ensure a swift and coordinated response, MoCA added.
The ministry stated that airlines are making necessary operational adjustments to prioritise passenger safety while maintaining continuity of services. Data for March 9 indicates that Indian carriers successfully operated 45 inbound flights from West Asia, bringing 7,047 passengers into the country.
Given the evolving circumstances, airlines have sought greater operational flexibility to ensure passenger safety and provide evacuation support where required. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has coordinated with authorities to facilitate additional arrival and departure slots and to allow the use of Muscat International Airport as an alternate enroute airport for flights connecting destinations including Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah, Al Ain, Fujairah, Jeddah, and Medina.
Operational plans indicate that Air India and Air India Express will begin flights to Riyadh from March 12, while Indigo will launch its Mumbai-Riyadh-Mumbai service on the same date. SpiceJet has also been granted approvals for alternate airports to ensure continued operational safety and flexibility. Meanwhile, Akasa Air has been advised to align the launch of its Mumbai-Riyadh-Mumbai services with prevailing operational conditions, scheduled to begin from March 12.
MoCA further stated that it is maintaining continuous coordination with airlines and other stakeholders to ensure orderly passenger movement. Airfares are being closely monitored to prevent unreasonable price surges during this period.
Passengers are advised to stay in touch with their airlines for the latest updates on flight schedules and travel arrangements. The ministry will continue to review the situation and provide updates as necessary.
