Representational file image.
| Photo Credit: Getty Images
Air India’ Delhi–Tel Aviv flight was forced to turn back on Saturday (February 28, 2026) after Israel and Iran closed their airspaces , followed by the airline cancelling all its West Asia bound flights amid escalating regional tensions.
“AI139 operating from Delhi to Tel Aviv on 28 February is returning to India due to the closure of airspace in Israel and in the interest of the safety of passengers and crew,” the airline said in a statement.
Also read: Israel-Iran conflict LIVE updates
A senior official from the Ministry of Civil Aviation told The Hindu that the “government is reviewing the rapidly evolving situation”.
“We have to ensure passengers have timely information and airlines are able to plan alternate routes keeping safety and pilot rest and duty norms in mind,” the official said.
Photo: Screengrab via Flightradar24
Another Air India flight from Chicago to Delhi was also observed taking a wider detour to avoid the region — flying even farther around Iran than its already adjusted route to steer clear of the closed airspace.
A time-lapse video on Flightradar24 showed aircraft gradually clearing out of the airspace between Iran and Israel shortly after both countries announced the shutdown of their skies. Later in the day, UAE, Bahrain and Qatar temporarily closed their respective airspaces as a temporary precautionary measure.
Meanwhile, Delhi airport warned passengers of disruptions to west-bound flights. “Due to the evolving political situation in the Middle East region, westbound international flights may experience disruptions or schedule adjustments,” it said.
Published – February 28, 2026 02:10 pm IST
