Low-cost carrier IndiGo has cancelled all flights to Tbilisi (Georgia), Almaty (Kazakhstan), Tashkent (Uzbekistan) and Baku (Azerbaijan) until 11 February 2026 after an escalation of regional tensions around Iran. The routes rely on Iranian airspace; detours would exceed the range of IndiGo’s Airbus A320 neo fleet.
1. Who is affected?
• Business travellers heading to fast-growing Central-Asian markets for mining, pharma and IT contracts.
• Indian students en-route to medical universities in Almaty and Tbilisi.
• Cargo shippers moving perishables and pharma supplies, a key export segment for India in the region.
2. Re-booking options
IndiGo is offering full refunds or re-accommodation on partner airlines that operate longer-range aircraft via alternative routings through the Gulf or Russia. Travellers must, however, hold the requisite transit visas.
![IndiGo suspends flights over Iranian airspace, cancels services to four Central-Asian cities]()
Need help securing those extra transit permits at short notice? VisaHQ’s India portal (https://www.visahq.com/india/) can fast-track applications for Turkey, the UAE, Russia and dozens of other stop-over points, providing document checks, courier pickup and real-time status alerts so disrupted passengers stay compliant and on schedule.
3. Wider implications
• Other Indian carriers that overfly Iran—for example Air India’s London route—are monitoring the situation but have not yet announced cancellations.
• Freight forwarders warn that last-minute demand for belly-hold capacity on Turkish Airlines and Emirates is pushing spot rates up by 18-22 %.
• Travel managers should flag any employee itineraries that use Tehran FIR and review corporate insurance clauses on “war-risk” airspace.
4. What to watch
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued an advisory permitting airlines to file for route-dispensation approvals on a 24-hour fast track. If the security picture deteriorates, India could issue a NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) banning all civilian overflights of Iran, similar to restrictions imposed during the 2020 Gulf crisis.
1. Who is affected?
• Business travellers heading to fast-growing Central-Asian markets for mining, pharma and IT contracts.
• Indian students en-route to medical universities in Almaty and Tbilisi.
• Cargo shippers moving perishables and pharma supplies, a key export segment for India in the region.
2. Re-booking options
IndiGo is offering full refunds or re-accommodation on partner airlines that operate longer-range aircraft via alternative routings through the Gulf or Russia. Travellers must, however, hold the requisite transit visas.
Need help securing those extra transit permits at short notice? VisaHQ’s India portal (https://www.visahq.com/india/) can fast-track applications for Turkey, the UAE, Russia and dozens of other stop-over points, providing document checks, courier pickup and real-time status alerts so disrupted passengers stay compliant and on schedule.
3. Wider implications
• Other Indian carriers that overfly Iran—for example Air India’s London route—are monitoring the situation but have not yet announced cancellations.
• Freight forwarders warn that last-minute demand for belly-hold capacity on Turkish Airlines and Emirates is pushing spot rates up by 18-22 %.
• Travel managers should flag any employee itineraries that use Tehran FIR and review corporate insurance clauses on “war-risk” airspace.
4. What to watch
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued an advisory permitting airlines to file for route-dispensation approvals on a 24-hour fast track. If the security picture deteriorates, India could issue a NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) banning all civilian overflights of Iran, similar to restrictions imposed during the 2020 Gulf crisis.
