West Asia air travel: Civil Aviation Ministry monitors India flights and airfares

The Civil Aviation Ministry said on Tuesday it was tracking events in West Asia. The ministry said it was assessing possible effects on flights between India and the region. It added that Civil Aviation Minister K Ram Mohan Naidu was watching updates closely. The ministry said K Ram Mohan Naidu was also in direct touch with stakeholders.

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The ministry said it was coordinating with airlines and other agencies for orderly passenger movement. It said passenger safety and service continuity were the main priorities. The ministry also said it was monitoring airfares. It aimed to keep ticket prices reasonable and prevent any unfair spike during this period.

West Asia air travel: Passenger numbers and flight data

In its statement, the Civil Aviation Ministry shared recent traffic figures. It said Indian carriers ran 45 inbound flights from West Asia on March 9. The ministry said 7,047 passengers arrived on those services. It added that airlines were adjusting operations as the situation developed across the region.

West Asia air travel: Airline operational plans and schedules

The ministry said airline plans showed several services linked to Riyadh. It said Air India and Air India Express would operate flights to Riyadh from March 12. IndiGo was set to start Mumbai-Riyadh-Mumbai services from Thursday. Akasa Air was advised to match its Mumbai-Riyadh-Mumbai launch with conditions, and starts March 12.

The statement said SpiceJet was supported to get alternate airport approvals. The ministry said this step was meant to support operational safety and flexibility. It also said Indian carriers had asked for more operational flexibility. This was aimed at safe passenger movement and evacuation support where it was needed.

West Asia air travel: DGCA measures and alternate airport access

The ministry said the Directorate General of Civil Aviation DGCA worked with relevant authorities. It said this helped secure extra arrival and departure slots. The statement said DGCA also allowed Muscat International Airport as an en route alternate. It applied to flights to and from Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ras-al-Khaimah, Al-Alan, Fujairah, Jeddah and Medinah.

The Civil Aviation Ministry said it would keep up regular coordination as West Asia developments continued. It said the focus remained on safe travel and steady services for passengers. The ministry also said it would keep watch on fares. It aimed to ensure travellers did not face unreasonable prices while plans were updated.

With inputs from PTI