As airlines recalibrated routes and governments issued airspace advisories across parts of the Middle East this week, the immediate fallout was felt not in control rooms but in transit lounges and hotel lobbies, where hundreds of Indian travellers waited for clarity on when and how they would return home.
The ongoing conflict in the Middle East saw precautionary airspace closures and thousands of flights getting cancelled across the globe, leaving passengers stranded.
On Tuesday morning, Air India brought back 149 stranded passengers from Dubai on flight AI916D, which was the flight operated by an Indian carrier for the homecoming of passengers.
Among those who returned, Piyush Pallav, a Delhi resident, said the disruption began mid-air. On February 28, he was travelling to London via Dubai when passengers were informed about the deteriorating security situation. "There was anxiety inside the aircraft when we learned what was happening. The flight began going around in circles before we eventually landed in Dubai," he said.
What followed was a scramble for alternatives. Piyush, who married on February 14, had planned to be joined by his wife, Anshika, in London on March 1. Those plans were abandoned. "We had just begun our married life. When we heard about the situation, naturally we were worried," his wife, Anshika, said from Delhi.
After landing in Dubai, Piyush was provided with hotel accommodation. "If you don't have sufficient resources, it can become difficult. Alerts kept coming on our phones. At times, we could hear interceptions. It was unsettling," he said. He applied for an Oman visa the same day, travelled by road from Dubai to the Oman border once it was approved, reached Muscat, and eventually flew back to Delhi on Oman Air. "It was a long route, but it worked. I'm relieved to be back," he said.
Not only for passengers, but Air India also operated a flight with 143 cockpit and cabin crew members of both Air India and Air India Express. They had also been stranded in Dubai and arrived in Delhi on flight AI918D.
In a statement, the airline said its operations control centre has been coordinating closely with Dubai Airports and relevant authorities to monitor the evolving situation and operate additional flights as and when permissible.
Other returnees described a similar mix of caution and disruption. Sanjeev, who was in Dubai during the escalation, recalled sirens and drone alerts. "Interceptions took place mid-air. The sound caused panic because many of us were experiencing this for the first time," he said. Another traveller noted that such activity was occurring "in different areas at different times", prompting people to remain cautious.
Neeta Sharma, a resident of Delhi's Rohini, who had travelled to Dubai and Abu Dhabi on February 23 to visit relatives, was scheduled to return on March 1. Her flight was cancelled. "We heard blasts and saw activity in the sky. It was unsettling," she said, adding that guests were moved to a hotel basement as a precaution. "We were safe, but the uncertainty was difficult. Nothing compares to the feeling of being back home."
For a family from Noida travelling with their child, the disruption also meant financial strain. "Our return was scheduled for February 28, but the flight was cancelled. We had to manage the additional expenses ourselves," the passenger said. He urged that other stranded tourists be assisted quickly and expressed gratitude for the support extended during the return journey.
Several passengers noted that civic systems in Dubai and Muscat remained operational despite the security alerts. Varun, who travelled back via Oman, described border procedures as "smooth, though tickets were expensive."
As flights slowly resume to bring passengers home, airspace advisories are under periodic review, and airlines are adjusting schedules in phases.
As per the most recent Notice to Airmen (NOTAMs), Iran and Iraq continue under total closure for several more days, while Israel's airspace also remains shut until later this week. Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait are under complete closure in the short term, and Syria's airspace remains closed as well. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are operating under partial restrictions, allowing controlled and limited traffic through designated corridors. Jordan has imposed nightly closures, reopening its airspace during daytime hours.
Flight tracking data, including monitoring platforms such as Flightradar24, shows that while traffic has resumed in pockets, particularly around the UAE and Oman, aircraft are taking longer, rerouted paths to avoid restricted zones. Overflights across Iran and Iraq remain largely absent, with airlines detouring through safer corridors.
Scheduled commercial operations are gradually restarting in phases. Gulf carriers such as Emirates and Etihad have resumed select services from Dubai and Abu Dhabi, while Oman Air has restored flights out of Muscat after a brief suspension. Indian carriers, including Air India and IndiGo, have begun operating approved services as airspace permissions are granted sector by sector. However, operations remain subject to real-time security assessments, and airlines continue to adjust schedules depending on evolving advisories.
For passengers planning travel in the coming days, the picture remains fluid, with partial openings, controlled corridors and staggered resumptions defining the region's skies for now.
