Israel-Iran war: Air travel faces disruption at MIA

Mangaluru: Air travel faced widespread disruption on Saturday after Israel launched strikes on Iran, prompting airspace closures and flight suspensions that rippled across international routes and affected operations at Mangaluru International Airport.Officials said Air India Express flight IX 831 from Mangaluru to Dubai returned to the bay after the Iran airspace closure came into effect. Another Air India Express service, IX 821 from Mangaluru to Qatar, was diverted to Mumbai for the same reason. IndiGo flight 6E 1467 from Mangaluru to Dubai was cancelled due to the closure. Flight IX 831 was declared cancelled at 3 pm, and all 174 passengers and six crew members were deplaned.
Multiple cancellations linked to the airspace restrictions include, IX 822 (Qatar–Mangaluru), IX 832 (Dubai–Mangaluru), IX 831 (Mangaluru–Dubai), IX 847 (Mangaluru–Dammam), IX 813 (Mangaluru–Dubai), IX 851 (Mangaluru–Kuwait), IX 815 (Mangaluru–Abu Dhabi), and IndiGo 6E 1467 (Mangaluru–Dubai). Officials said airlines were adjusting schedules and routings in response to evolving restrictions, with passengers advised to check updated departure information before travelling to the airport.Air India Express, in an official announcement, stated that its flights to the Gulf region are temporarily suspended. Impacted passengers are being notified using their registered contact details. Passengers are advised to ensure their contact information is up to date, and to check flight status on their website.The disruption heightened anxiety among expatriates from coastal districts living in the Gulf and Israel. Vincent Sequeira, an expatriate in Bahrain, said residents were fearful as the conflict escalated.Ajith Bangera, president of the Bahrain Kannada Sangha and a native of Katapadi, said he was staying in Juffair, about 200m from a US airbase, and had received official warnings about the possibility of an attack from Iran. He said authorities had shared shelter locations in advance, and that he had temporarily relocated to his brother's home about 2km away.Expatriates living in Israel, including many from the coastal districts, said they had been hearing warning sirens throughout the day.