NEW DELHI — More than 4,300 flights operated by Indian airlines have been cancelled due to the ongoing crisis in West Asia, Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu told the Lok Sabha on Monday.
Speaking on the sixth day of the Parliamentary Budget Session, Naidu said Indian carriers had cancelled over 4,335 flights while foreign airlines cancelled up to 1,187 flights as tensions in the region disrupted air travel.
The minister emphasized that passenger safety remains the top priority for both the government and airlines, noting that flights cannot operate when airspace in conflict-affected areas is closed.
“Indian carriers have cancelled 4,335 flights and foreign carriers have cancelled up to 1,187 flights. The first thing we have to remember is safety. If the airspace itself is closed, there is no need for us to operate in this area,” he said.
Despite the disruptions, a significant number of passengers continued to travel during the period of heightened tensions.
“Nearly 2,19,780 passengers travelled during the time when tensions were high in the region,” Naidu said.
He added that India’s aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, along with the civil aviation ministry, is in constant contact with authorities in the affected regions to monitor developments.
Flights will resume normal operations only after the restricted airspace in those regions reopens, the minister said, noting that several areas remain closed due to the ongoing conflict.
Meanwhile, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol said last week that India currently has more than 11,000 pilots working for major domestic airlines, including nearly 1,900 women.
In a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha on March 12, Mohol said Indian airlines collectively employ 11,394 pilots, including 1,871 female pilots. (Source: IANS)
