Low-cost carrier SpiceJet confirmed it will operate fourteen ad-hoc flights on 6 March—nine from Fujairah to Mumbai, four from Fujairah to Delhi and one Dubai–Pune service—to bring home Indians marooned by the Gulf airspace shutdown. The initiative follows 25 similar sorties conducted over the previous three days, reflecting mounting diplomatic coordination between New Delhi and Abu Dhabi.
Fujairah, normally a cargo-heavy airport, is being used as a staging point because Dubai and Abu Dhabi slots remain tightly rationed. Indian embassy officials on the ground are issuing emergency travel documents to passengers whose UAE visas expired during the unexpected stay.
For travellers wrestling with sudden visa lapses or companies arranging bulk paperwork, VisaHQ’s India platform (https://www.visahq.com/india/) can streamline the process. From rapid e-visa applications to up-to-date entry guidelines, the service helps returnees regularise their status and plan onward trips quickly—particularly valuable when embassy resources are stretched thin during disruptions like the current Gulf shutdown.
![SpiceJet Launches 14 Special UAE–India Flights to Repatriate Stranded Nationals]()
The flights are priced at the airline’s normal ‘salvage’ cap of INR 20,000 one-way, in line with DGCA regulations designed to prevent price gouging during crises. SpiceJet has also waived standard check-in baggage fees and is offering free date changes for passengers onward-connecting within India.
For employers with expatriate staff in the Gulf, the special flights offer a crucial evacuation valve. Mobility teams should keep manifests handy, as the airline requires sponsor letters for passengers travelling on short-notice emergency visas.
Civil aviation observers note that the operation underscores the importance of India’s burgeoning network of secondary Gulf airports and may accelerate SpiceJet’s plan to launch permanent Fujairah–India services once the situation stabilises.
Fujairah, normally a cargo-heavy airport, is being used as a staging point because Dubai and Abu Dhabi slots remain tightly rationed. Indian embassy officials on the ground are issuing emergency travel documents to passengers whose UAE visas expired during the unexpected stay.
For travellers wrestling with sudden visa lapses or companies arranging bulk paperwork, VisaHQ’s India platform (https://www.visahq.com/india/) can streamline the process. From rapid e-visa applications to up-to-date entry guidelines, the service helps returnees regularise their status and plan onward trips quickly—particularly valuable when embassy resources are stretched thin during disruptions like the current Gulf shutdown.
The flights are priced at the airline’s normal ‘salvage’ cap of INR 20,000 one-way, in line with DGCA regulations designed to prevent price gouging during crises. SpiceJet has also waived standard check-in baggage fees and is offering free date changes for passengers onward-connecting within India.
For employers with expatriate staff in the Gulf, the special flights offer a crucial evacuation valve. Mobility teams should keep manifests handy, as the airline requires sponsor letters for passengers travelling on short-notice emergency visas.
Civil aviation observers note that the operation underscores the importance of India’s burgeoning network of secondary Gulf airports and may accelerate SpiceJet’s plan to launch permanent Fujairah–India services once the situation stabilises.
