New Delhi: Thousands of flights have been cancelled by Indian and foreign airlines due to ongoing tensions in West Asia, Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu informed the Lok Sabha on Monday.
During the sixth day of the Parliamentary Budget Session, the minister stated that Indian carriers have cancelled more than 4,335 flights, while foreign airlines have called off up to 1,187 flights as a precaution amid the crisis in the region.
Emphasising passenger safety as the top priority, Naidu explained that flights cannot operate when the 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 widespread disruption, a significant number of travellers continued to fly. “Nearly 2,19,780 passengers travelled during the time when tensions were high in the region,” the minister added.
Naidu also assured that India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the aviation ministry remain in constant contact with authorities in the affected regions to monitor the situation. Flights will resume normal operations only once the airspace reopens, he noted, adding that several areas still face restrictions due to ongoing tensions.
In a related update, last week, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol stated in the Lok Sabha that India currently employs more than 11,000 pilots across major domestic airlines, including nearly 1,900 women pilots. According to Mohol’s written reply on March 12, Indian airlines collectively employ 11,394 pilots, with 1,871 female pilots.
With IANS inputs