India’s flag-carrier has issued an operational bulletin confirming that a skeleton schedule of 20 flights—half of them ad-hoc rescue rotations—will operate between India and the Gulf on 30 March 2026. According to Air India’s network update, the group (Air India and low-cost subsidiary Air India Express) has secured emergency slots at Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah, while regular services to Muscat will continue.
![Air India Group resumes limited West Asia services on 30 March amid regional disruptions]()
If you suddenly need to rearrange documentation because your itinerary has been rerouted, VisaHQ can step in to streamline the visa process. Its India portal (https://www.visahq.com/india/) lets travelers apply online, track progress in real time and receive digital reminders, a handy safety net when airlines are reshuffling schedules at short notice.
Connections to Jeddah, Doha, Kuwait and Tel Aviv remain suspended because of air-space restrictions linked to the Iran-Pakistan crisis that has forced multiple carriers to reroute or cancel traffic over the northern Arabian Sea. The airline is proactively contacting passengers booked on the affected routes and is waiving change penalties or offering full refunds. Travellers holding Air India Express tickets out of the UAE can also switch to any of the additional charter flights the airline is mounting to Bengaluru, Kozhikode, Mumbai and other Indian cities. Customers have been advised to update their mobile numbers and use the carrier’s website or WhatsApp bot “Tia” for rebooking. Industry analysts say the ability to restore even partial connectivity will be critical for India-Gulf business traffic because almost 9 million Indian nationals live and work in the region. Exporters of perishables and SMEs that rely on belly-hold capacity to West Asia had warned of supply-chain pain if the shutdown continued. The government is reportedly working with civil-aviation regulators in Oman and the UAE to open additional corridors that bypass contentious airspace. Corporate travel managers should monitor daily updates—the network plan is being reviewed every 12 hours—and encourage employees to maintain flexible itineraries. Those travelling onward to Europe or North America can expect longer block times until the Pakistani over-flight ban is lifted.
If you suddenly need to rearrange documentation because your itinerary has been rerouted, VisaHQ can step in to streamline the visa process. Its India portal (https://www.visahq.com/india/) lets travelers apply online, track progress in real time and receive digital reminders, a handy safety net when airlines are reshuffling schedules at short notice.
Connections to Jeddah, Doha, Kuwait and Tel Aviv remain suspended because of air-space restrictions linked to the Iran-Pakistan crisis that has forced multiple carriers to reroute or cancel traffic over the northern Arabian Sea. The airline is proactively contacting passengers booked on the affected routes and is waiving change penalties or offering full refunds. Travellers holding Air India Express tickets out of the UAE can also switch to any of the additional charter flights the airline is mounting to Bengaluru, Kozhikode, Mumbai and other Indian cities. Customers have been advised to update their mobile numbers and use the carrier’s website or WhatsApp bot “Tia” for rebooking. Industry analysts say the ability to restore even partial connectivity will be critical for India-Gulf business traffic because almost 9 million Indian nationals live and work in the region. Exporters of perishables and SMEs that rely on belly-hold capacity to West Asia had warned of supply-chain pain if the shutdown continued. The government is reportedly working with civil-aviation regulators in Oman and the UAE to open additional corridors that bypass contentious airspace. Corporate travel managers should monitor daily updates—the network plan is being reviewed every 12 hours—and encourage employees to maintain flexible itineraries. Those travelling onward to Europe or North America can expect longer block times until the Pakistani over-flight ban is lifted.
