GURUGRAM: In a strategic move to manage regional travel demand and operational shifts, Air India and Air India Express have announced they will operate a total of 28 scheduled and non-scheduled flights to and from the West Asia region on March 23, 2026.
The announcement comes as the airline group balances its regular schedule with ad-hoc operations to key destinations in Saudi Arabia, Oman, and the UAE.
Flight Breakdown for March 23
The operations are divided between established scheduled routes and special non-scheduled services:
- Saudi Arabia (Jeddah & Riyadh): A total of 14 flights will serve the Kingdom. Ten flights are dedicated to Jeddah (operated from Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kozhikode, and Mangalore), while four scheduled flights will connect Riyadh with Bengaluru and Kozhikode.
- Oman (Muscat): Air India Express will maintain four scheduled flights connecting Muscat with Delhi and Mumbai.
- United Arab Emirates (Ad-Hoc Services): While regular scheduled services to the UAE remain temporarily adjusted, the group will operate 10 non-scheduled flights to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah from major Indian metros, subject to local regulatory permissions and slot availability.
Global Operations Unaffected
Air India confirmed that all other international services to North America, Europe, Australia, and other global regions remain unaffected and will continue to operate as per the standard schedule.
Support for Impacted Guests
The airline group has introduced flexible policies for passengers booked on routes where scheduled services are temporarily suspended:
- Free Rebooking: Guests can move their travel to a future date at no additional charge.
- Full Refunds: Passengers may opt for a complete refund if they choose not to travel.
- Proactive Outreach: Air India is contacting impacted guests via registered mobile numbers. Passengers are urged to ensure their contact details are updated on the airline’s database.
How to Seek Assistance
- Air India Guests: Requests can be raised via airindia.com or by calling the 24×7 support hotline at +91-11-69329333.
- Air India Express Guests: Travelers can use the AI-powered digital assistant ‘Tia’ on WhatsApp at +91-63600-12345 for instant rebooking.
The Air India group stated it is actively exploring further opportunities to operate additional ad-hoc flights to assist travelers across the West Asia sector.
