Kochi, February 28 Flight operations to Gulf countries from Kerala airports have been affected, with several airlines cancelling services following the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, officials said on Saturday.
The Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL), Thiruvananthapuram International Airport Ltd (TIAL), Kannur International Airport Limited (KIAL) and authorities at Calicut International Airport have issued separate advisories to passengers about possible flight cancellations and delays due to airspace restrictions in the region.
At CIAL in Kochi, spokespersons said that Indigo flights to Doha, Dubai, Ras Al Khaimah, and Abu Dhabi, scheduled for Saturday evening and night, were cancelled.
An Air India Express flight to Sharjah was delayed, officials said.
An Oman Air flight from Kochi to Muscat, which took off around 2:25 pm, returned to the airport at about 3:40 pm, the spokesperson said, adding that an Etihad Airways flight from Kochi to Abu Dhabi was also delayed.
The CIAL confirmed that an Indigo flight from Dubai to Kochi was cancelled.
The CIAL spokesperson said that international flights to far-east countries and Sri Lanka were operating normally.
The TIAL spokesperson said that Air India Express services from Thiruvananthapuram to Doha and Dubai were cancelled.
An Air Arabia flight from Thiruvananthapuram to Abu Dhabi was forced to return to the airport following the airspace closure, the official added.
Authorities at Calicut International Airport also announced the cancellation of Indigo flights to Dubai, Jeddah, and Abu Dhabi.
Air India Express flights from Calicut to Dubai, Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dammam were also cancelled, and all flights from Calicut to Qatar have been suspended until further notice, officials said.
KIAL officials said that Air India Express flights from Kannur to Dubai and Indigo flights to Abu Dhabi were cancelled due to the disruption.
Airport authorities have requested that passengers check the status of their flights with the respective airlines before arriving at the airport to avoid inconvenience or stranding due to cancellations or delays.