India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) says scheduled passenger services between India and the Gulf are rapidly returning to pre-crisis levels after the United Arab Emirates’ General Civil Aviation Authority lifted all temporary restrictions on 4 May. Speaking at an inter-ministerial briefing in New Delhi, Additional Secretary (Gulf) Aseem R. Mahajan noted that Indian and UAE carriers have reinstated multiple daily rotations, while Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait and Bahrain have maintained open skies throughout the recent regional turmoil. Qatar’s airspace is now partially open, allowing Air India, Air India Express, IndiGo and Qatar Airways to relaunch limited services.
![MEA Briefs on West Asia: UAE Re-opens Airspace, Gulf Flights to India Climb Back Toward Normal]()
Given the fluid situation, travellers also need clarity on shifting visa requirements. VisaHQ’s Indian specialists (https://www.visahq.com/india/) aggregate the latest Gulf-region entry rules and offer an end-to-end online application service, helping corporates secure UAE, Saudi, Oman or Qatar visas in time for the reinstated flights.
Iran’s skies remain restricted to cargo and charter operations, and the Embassy in Tehran continues to facilitate over-land departures; 2,504 Indian nationals have been escorted out of Iran via neighbouring states to date. Indian travellers have been advised to avoid non-essential trips to Iran and to register with mission helplines when transiting other hotspots. The restoration of UAE connectivity is a critical win for corporate travel planners. Pre-crisis, the India-Gulf corridor carried around 11 million business passengers a year, with Dubai alone accounting for 92 percent of premium-cabin demand from India, according to CAPA India data. During April, capacity caps forced companies to reroute employees via Muscat and Colombo, inflating airfares by 40–60 percent and lengthening door-to-door journeys by up to eight hours. With Emirates, Etihad, Air India Express and IndiGo now adding back frequencies, seat supply is rising and average fares on Mumbai-Dubai and Delhi-Abu Dhabi sectors have already fallen 18 percent week-on-week, according to the Travel Agents Federation of India. Mobility managers are nevertheless being told to keep flexible booking policies in place until flight schedules stabilise and to brief travellers on the continued requirement for dynamic route planning should airspace alerts resurface. Beyond aviation, Mahajan underlined expanded MEA welfare measures: 24/7 control rooms, real-time WhatsApp advisories, and priority assistance for Indian seafarers caught in diverted shipping lanes. State governments have been asked to keep databases of workers currently on overseas contracts so that local authorities can be mobilised quickly if evacuations become necessary.
Given the fluid situation, travellers also need clarity on shifting visa requirements. VisaHQ’s Indian specialists (https://www.visahq.com/india/) aggregate the latest Gulf-region entry rules and offer an end-to-end online application service, helping corporates secure UAE, Saudi, Oman or Qatar visas in time for the reinstated flights.
Iran’s skies remain restricted to cargo and charter operations, and the Embassy in Tehran continues to facilitate over-land departures; 2,504 Indian nationals have been escorted out of Iran via neighbouring states to date. Indian travellers have been advised to avoid non-essential trips to Iran and to register with mission helplines when transiting other hotspots. The restoration of UAE connectivity is a critical win for corporate travel planners. Pre-crisis, the India-Gulf corridor carried around 11 million business passengers a year, with Dubai alone accounting for 92 percent of premium-cabin demand from India, according to CAPA India data. During April, capacity caps forced companies to reroute employees via Muscat and Colombo, inflating airfares by 40–60 percent and lengthening door-to-door journeys by up to eight hours. With Emirates, Etihad, Air India Express and IndiGo now adding back frequencies, seat supply is rising and average fares on Mumbai-Dubai and Delhi-Abu Dhabi sectors have already fallen 18 percent week-on-week, according to the Travel Agents Federation of India. Mobility managers are nevertheless being told to keep flexible booking policies in place until flight schedules stabilise and to brief travellers on the continued requirement for dynamic route planning should airspace alerts resurface. Beyond aviation, Mahajan underlined expanded MEA welfare measures: 24/7 control rooms, real-time WhatsApp advisories, and priority assistance for Indian seafarers caught in diverted shipping lanes. State governments have been asked to keep databases of workers currently on overseas contracts so that local authorities can be mobilised quickly if evacuations become necessary.
