Kolkata Airport sees cancellations of 20 flights amid Middle East conflict

Escalating tensions in West Asia following attacks by Israel and the United States on Iran have begun impacting air travel in India, with Kolkata Airport witnessing multiple flight cancellations on Monday. As Iran launched retaliatory strikes targeting Israel and American bases in the region, airspace disruptions and security concerns led several international airlines to suspend or cancel services.

According to reports, several flights from Kolkata were cancelled, including Emirates with four arrivals and four departures, Qatar Airways with two arrivals and two departures, Etihad Airways with two arrivals and two departures, Air Arabia with one arrival and one departure, and Flydubai with one arrival and one departure. The cancellations have caused significant inconvenience to passengers scheduled to travel to Gulf destinations.

The disruption is not limited to Kolkata, as airports across India, including Delhi, have reported cancellations, particularly on routes connected to Dubai and other Middle East cities. Dubai, a major international transit hub, has reportedly faced missile strikes, prompting partial airspace shutdowns and precautionary suspensions of flights.

With Dubai serving as a key global transit point, the ripple effect has been widespread. Thousands of passengers are reportedly stranded worldwide. Flight-tracking data indicates that more than 2,700 flights were cancelled globally by Sunday, while over 12,300 were delayed, underscoring the scale of the disruption as authorities continue to monitor the volatile situation.