Air India to resume flights to Middle East and Europe from 25 June; US and Canada next – Check details

Air India has announced a phased resumption of flights to the Middle East, Europe, Canada, and United States as airspaces in parts of the Middle East begin to reopen. Starting today, 24 June, the airline will progressively reinstate most operations to and from the Middle East, with full services expected to resume from 25 June.

Air India has announced that it will “resume flights to the region (middle East) starting today”, hours after Israel opened its air space. Israel took the decision after it reached a ceasefire agreement with Iran, potentially ending a 12-day war. Air India also announced it will resume flights to East Coast of United States, Canada, and Europe gradually, starting today.

Air India On Flights From US, Canada, Europe

Air India informed that their flights to and from Europe, which were previously cancelled, will also be gradually reinstated from today. Services connecting the East Coast of the United States and Canada are set to resume at the earliest opportunity, although exact dates have yet to be confirmed.

“Flights to and from Europe, previously cancelled, are also being progressively reinstated from today, while services to and from the East Coast of the US, and Canada will resume at the earliest opportunity.”, Air India Spokesperson said.

On Resuming Flights to Middle East

Air India in its official statement posted on X, wrote, “As airspaces gradually reopen in certain parts of the Middle East, Air India will progressively resume flights to the region starting today, with most operations to and from the Middle East resuming from 25 June.”

Israel reopened its airspace, the Israel Airports Authority said on Tuesday, following a night of missile barrages from Iran. Israel’s airspace closed due to multiple waves of Iranian missiles hours before a ceasefire came into effect.

Air India on Monday announced it was ceasing “all operations to the region as well as to and from the East Coast of North America and Europe” immediately until further notice. The airline, which is still reeling from a plane crash that killed at least 270 people earlier this month, added that India-bound flights from North America were being diverted or rerouted away from closed airspaces.

Air India Cautions on Delay

An Air India spokesperson cautioned that some flights might face delays or cancellations due to extended re-routings and longer flight times caused by ongoing airspace restrictions. "We are committed to minimising disruptions and restoring our schedule integrity," the spokesperson said.

The airline emphasised that it will continue to avoid any airspaces deemed unsafe at any given time, prioritising the safety and security of passengers, staff, and aircraft. Passengers will be kept informed of any updates as the situation evolves.

Air India Express Update

Air India Express also followed suit and announced resumption of flights. 

“Air India Express is progressively resuming its operations to the Middle East from today, 24 June, as airspaces in the region reopen. Our first flight to the region today will be on the Delhi–Muscat route, followed by services on the Mumbai–Muscat, Kozhikode–Muscat, Kozhikode–Riyadh, and Jaipur–Jeddah routes.

Air India Express flights to and from key cities in the UAE — including Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Al Ain, and Ras Al Khaimah — as well as other cities in the Middle East, have been scheduled from tomorrow, 25 June, said the airline's spokesperson.