444 flights expected to be cancelled on 1 March over airspace closures: DGCA

India’s aviation sector braced for sweeping disruption as cascading airspace closures across Iran and large swathes of the Middle East rippled through international flight corridors, forcing widespread cancellations and rerouting.

According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), as many as 444 flights are expected to be cancelled on 1 March, following the scrapping of 410 domestic carrier flights on 28 February due to restrictions over Iranian and regional airspace.

In a post on X, the aviation watchdog said that major airports across the country remain on “operational alert” to manage potential diversions and ensure seamless passenger facilitation amid the unfolding crisis. Senior officials have been deployed on the ground, with passenger assistance, airline coordination and terminal crowd management under close supervision to prevent chaos and ease congestion.

The regulator added that the Ministry’s Passenger Assistance Control Room (PACR) is working round the clock to monitor complaints and expedite redressal. On 28 February alone, AirSewa logged 216 grievances, of which 105 were resolved within the same period, reflecting efforts to cushion the blow for stranded travellers.

The DGCA said it is maintaining constant coordination with airlines to ensure strict adherence to safety and operational norms, as carriers grapple with sudden route closures and shifting air traffic advisories.

Earlier, the Ministry of Civil Aviation directed all Indian airlines operating international services to closely track evolving airspace advisories, Notices to Airmen (NOTAMs) and route restrictions issued by foreign authorities in the wake of the large-scale US-Israeli military operation against Iran.

“Following the airspace restrictions imposed in the Middle East, airlines have been directed to ensure timely rerouting or diversion of flights, wherever required, strictly in accordance with global safety protocols and established contingency planning procedures,” the ministry said in a statement.

Reassuring passengers, it underscored that safety remains paramount. “The Ministry of Civil Aviation is closely monitoring the situation to ensure safe, orderly and efficient air operations. The situation is under constant watch. Further updates will follow as necessary,” the statement said.

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) and private airport operators have also been instructed to enhance coordination with airlines on ground handling, parking bays, passenger amenities, crew logistics and immigration support — measures designed to maintain order and minimise distress as global tensions spill into the skies.

As geopolitical tremors reverberate far beyond the battlefield, India’s aviation ecosystem is racing to keep flights safe and passengers informed, navigating turbulence not of weather, but of war.

With IANS inputs