Ahmedabad: Several international flight operations at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International (SVPI) Airport in Ahmedabad faced major disruptions on Tuesday as airlines cancelled or rerouted multiple flights amid escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. The cancellations come in the wake of a sharp escalation in hostilities between Israel and Iran, which triggered a ripple effect on air connectivity across the region, particularly via key Gulf transit hubs.

Qatar’s Doha Airport suspended operations after Iran launched missiles at a U.S. military base in the country. This attack was in retaliation for American strikes on Iranian nuclear sites over the weekend, according to Iranian authorities. Dubai Airport in the United Arab Emirates, one of the world’s busiest international terminals, also temporarily paused flight operations, causing delays and cancellations across multiple sectors.

At Ahmedabad Airport, international connections bore the brunt of the disruption. Among the outbound flights affected were IndiGo flight 6E1477 to Dubai scheduled at 2:40 AM, Qatar Airways flight QR535 to Doha at 3:55 AM, Indian Airlines flight IA450 to Najaf at 4:45 AM, Kuwait Airways flight KU346 to Kuwait City scheduled for 6:05 AM, and Air India flight AI159 to London Gatwick at 12:40 PM.

Inbound international arrivals also faced major cancellations. These included Qatar Airways flight QR534 from Doha at 2:00 AM, Indian Airlines flight IA449 from Baghdad at 3:45 AM, Kuwait Airways flight KU345 from Kuwait City at 5:36 AM, IndiGo flight 6E1432 from Abu Dhabi at 6:49 AM, Air India flight AI160 from London Gatwick at 9:57 AM, and IndiGo flight 6E1478 from Dubai at 9:35 AM.

Many of these routes are crucial for passengers travelling through Gulf transit hubs or flying for work, religious pilgrimages, and business engagements. The sudden disruption has left several travellers stranded or forced to seek alternative connections.

Meanwhile, domestic operations to major Indian cities also saw disruptions. Flights to Bengaluru (SG481), Delhi (SG160), and Mumbai (9I612) were cancelled, along with return flights from Bengaluru (SG480) and Mumbai (9I611).

Flights to smaller towns including Keshod (9I603, 9I604), Dehradun (SG611, SG616), and Jalgaon (9I609, 9I610) were also cancelled. However, these cancellations were more likely due to adverse weather conditions in the region caused by heavy rains, and are not directly linked to the Middle East conflict.

Several of these routes serve as vital links for passengers transiting through Gulf hubs or travelling for work, pilgrimage, or business purposes. The Ahmedabad Airport had also issued an advisory on Monday evening in view of the disruptions. It stated “Due to the closure of airspace in the Middle East, flight operations from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport have been impacted. Passengers are requested to check with their respective airlines on the status of their flights before arriving at the airport. We appreciate your cooperation.” DeshGujarat