Taking a major decision, Air India Express has temporarily stopped all its flights to Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and UAE. This ban will continue till the night of March 2. The airline has taken this step in view of the increasing tension and security reasons in the region to ensure the safety of passengers. During this period, thousands of passengers may face problems, for which the airline has announced refund.
Which passengers will get refund and what are the rules?
The airline has clarified that special relief has been given to the passengers who had booked tickets on or before 28 February 2026 and whose travel was to take place till 5 March 2026. Such passengers can get full refund without any deduction.
Full Refund: Passengers can cancel their tickets and will get full refund through the original mode of payment. Free Re-Scheduling: If passengers wish to postpone their journey later, they can change the date without any ‘Date Change Fee’. How to claim: For this, you can use the ‘Manage Booking’ section on the airline’s website or WhatsApp chatbot ‘Tia’ (+91 6360012345).
Why was the decision taken to stop flights?
Indian aviation regulator DGCA has advised to avoid the airspace of 11 countries in the Middle East due to security reasons. This advisory has been issued due to the recent increase in military activities in the area. Air India Express spokesperson has said that the safety of passengers and crew is their first priority. Services will be resumed as soon as a safe route is found. At present, services of other airlines like Air India, Indigo and SpiceJet have also been affected on this route.
