Air India Expands International Operations with 36 Extra Europe–US Flights Amid West Asia Crisis
Amid the ongoing situation in the West Asia region and sustained high demand for international travel, Air India has announced that it will continue operating extra flights to key destinations in Europe and North America until March 28, 2026.
Amid rising tensions in West Asia and increasing demand for international travel, Air India has announced that it will operate additional flights on key routes to Europe and North America between March 19 and March 28, 2026.
In an official statement issued on Tuesday, Air India said it will operate 36 extra flights on five major routes — Delhi–London (Heathrow), Mumbai–London (Heathrow), Delhi–Frankfurt, Delhi–Zurich, and Delhi–Toronto. These additional flights will add 10,012 seats across the routes, enhancing capacity and offering passengers more travel options despite limited connectivity.
The airline also confirmed that these services follow its recent announcement of 78 additional flights on nine routes between March 10 and March 18, aimed at managing the surge in demand.
Earlier, on March 16, Air India and Air India Express announced the operation of 48 scheduled and charter flights to and from the West Asia region.
The announcement comes amid escalating conflict in West Asia. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was reportedly killed on February 28 in joint military strikes carried out by the United States and Israel. Following the incident, Iran has reportedly targeted American assets in several Gulf countries, increasing tensions in the region and disrupting international supply chains.
The situation has also impacted global energy routes, as Iran has nearly closed the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial transit corridor for global oil supplies.
Meanwhile, Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has been appointed as the new Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic. At the same time, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz confirmed on Tuesday that Ali Larijani, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, was killed in an overnight airstrike in Tehran. According to Katz, Larijani and a Basij commander were killed in the strike.