More Than 4,300 Indian Flights Cancelled Amid West Asia Crisis, Minister Says
NEW DELHI — More than 4,300 flights operated by Indian airlines have been cancelled due to escalating tensions in West Asia, India’s civil aviation minister told Parliament on Monday.
Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu informed the Lok Sabha that Indian carriers cancelled 4,335 flights, while foreign airlines cancelled up to 1,187 flights because of disruptions caused by the conflict in the region.
Speaking during the sixth day of the ongoing Parliamentary Budget Session, the minister said passenger safety remains the government’s top priority and explained that flight operations cannot continue when airspace in conflict zones is closed.
“Indian carriers have cancelled 4,335 flights and foreign carriers have cancelled up to 1,187 flights. The first thing we have to remember is safety. If the airspace itself is closed, there is no need for us to operate in this area,” Kinjarapu said.
Despite the disruption, a significant number of travelers were still able to fly during the period of heightened tensions.
“Nearly 2,19,780 passengers travelled during the time when tensions were high in the region,” the minister said.
Kinjarapu added that the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation are in constant contact with authorities in affected areas to monitor developments.
He said normal operations will resume only after airspace restrictions are lifted, noting that several areas across West Asia remain closed or partially restricted due to the ongoing crisis.
Meanwhile, the government also provided updated figures on the country’s aviation workforce.
Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol told Parliament last week that Indian airlines currently employ more than 11,000 pilots, including nearly 1,900 women.
In a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha on March 12, Mohol said domestic airlines together employ 11,394 pilots, of whom 1,871 are female. (Source: IANS)
