India’s largest airline has again trimmed its international network as West Asia’s security climate deteriorates. In a travel advisory posted on 3 February, IndiGo said all flights to Tbilisi (Georgia), Almaty (Kazakhstan), Baku (Azerbaijan) and Tashkent (Uzbekistan) are suspended until at least 28 February. (financialexpress.com)
The carrier cited ‘developing tensions around Iran’ and the deployment of additional US naval assets in the Gulf as reasons for avoiding air-space corridors that would otherwise shave hours off flight times between India and Central Asia. European airlines including KLM and Lufthansa have already rerouted or cancelled services after advisory notices from the EU Aviation Safety Agency. (financialexpress.com)
![IndiGo cancels four Central-Asia routes until 28 February amid Iran airspace risks]()
For corporate travel managers the implications are immediate. Software and consulting firms that move project teams between Bengaluru or Hyderabad and Central-Asian client sites will now face longer lay-overs via Dubai or Istanbul, or must postpone travel altogether. IndiGo is offering full refunds or free rebooking on alternative routings, but premium-cabin capacity on other airlines is tight.
If project deadlines can’t slip and alternative routings involve new stop-overs, employees may suddenly need additional visas or transit permits. VisaHQ’s India portal (https://www.visahq.com/india/) lets mobility teams and individual travellers check requirements, upload documents, and secure approvals for over 200 destinations—often within 24 hours—streamlining compliance while airlines reshuffle schedules.
Insurance specialists warn that existing policies may not automatically cover additional hotel nights or route deviations. Mobility teams should review policy wording for ‘war-risk’ exclusions and advise travellers to monitor flight-status alerts daily. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has yet to issue a blanket NOTAM, but officials say they are reviewing risk assessments daily with carriers.
The carrier cited ‘developing tensions around Iran’ and the deployment of additional US naval assets in the Gulf as reasons for avoiding air-space corridors that would otherwise shave hours off flight times between India and Central Asia. European airlines including KLM and Lufthansa have already rerouted or cancelled services after advisory notices from the EU Aviation Safety Agency. (financialexpress.com)
For corporate travel managers the implications are immediate. Software and consulting firms that move project teams between Bengaluru or Hyderabad and Central-Asian client sites will now face longer lay-overs via Dubai or Istanbul, or must postpone travel altogether. IndiGo is offering full refunds or free rebooking on alternative routings, but premium-cabin capacity on other airlines is tight.
If project deadlines can’t slip and alternative routings involve new stop-overs, employees may suddenly need additional visas or transit permits. VisaHQ’s India portal (https://www.visahq.com/india/) lets mobility teams and individual travellers check requirements, upload documents, and secure approvals for over 200 destinations—often within 24 hours—streamlining compliance while airlines reshuffle schedules.
Insurance specialists warn that existing policies may not automatically cover additional hotel nights or route deviations. Mobility teams should review policy wording for ‘war-risk’ exclusions and advise travellers to monitor flight-status alerts daily. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has yet to issue a blanket NOTAM, but officials say they are reviewing risk assessments daily with carriers.
