- Sanjay Varnwal was stranded in Kuwait after his flight turned back midair due to airspace closure
- Flight from Delhi to New York was forced to return after Iraqi airspace was abruptly shut down
- Passengers faced uncertainty as Kuwait Airways had no clear information on resuming flights
Sanjay Varnwal, CEO and co-founder of Spyne, was left stranded in Kuwait after his connecting flight to New York turned back midair following sudden airspace closures triggered by the escalating US-Iran conflict. In a LinkedIn post, Varnwal shared that he had boarded a 3 am flight from Delhi to Kuwait, with plans to catch a 9 am onward connection to JFK Airport in New York. About 45 minutes into the journey, the pilot announced that Iraqi airspace had been abruptly shut, forcing the aircraft to return to Kuwait.
"Then, maybe 45 minutes in, the pilot announced midair that because Iraqi airspace suddenly closed, we can't go forward. And, in the air, the flight reverted its route back to Kuwait. Was a bit annoying at first...did not realise the mess I was getting into," he wrote, admitting he initially assumed it was a minor technical snag and expected only a short delay in reaching New York.
But after landing back in Kuwait, uncertainty took over the airport. Varnwal said airline staff had limited clarity on when operations would resume, even as news alerts began reporting fresh developments in the escalating regional conflict.
"At the airport, the Kuwait Airways staff too were clueless and had zero info on when we'd leave. Though the news started flashing that some conflicts have started in the region and Iran, US, Israel are involved. But, due to this Middle East conflicts always in news, I thought it to be routine, nothing to be worried about so much," he added.
Kuwait Airways later informed passengers of a revised departure time of 1:30 pm and issued new boarding passes. However, the situation deteriorated further as the day progressed.
"Around 3pm, airline staff said that the planes are grounded and there is no way that flights can operate now. This is when the seriousness of the situation hit me hard. I realised - shit, I am stranded here now. Most of the locals who came in to board various flights, went back their homes. But, the ones who were in Kuwait, as transit destination, stayed," the Indian entrepreneur stated.
By 10 pm, passengers were reportedly accommodated in multiple hotels across the city as the disruption continued. The incident, part of a wider aviation shutdown, left roughly 1,000 passengers stranded at the airport.
"We managed to move out of the airport by 8pm. And, it was pure chaos - over a thousand people, a fleet of buses, and police everywhere trying to keep the peace. Kudos to authorities, the way they managed the situation. Finally, about 10pm, we were all checked in to 3-4 hotels in the city. And, this is how one of the most interesting days of my life ended. Now stuck here, waiting for the airspace to open, with war outside," he wrote further.
Widespread flight cancellations and airspace closures are severely disrupting global travel, following military strikes by the US and Israel on Iran and subsequent retaliatory actions. More than 6,000 flights have been cancelled, and nearly 20,000 delayed worldwide. Several countries have fully or partially closed their skies, effectively shutting down one of the world's most critical aviation corridors
