Air India Diverts Over 15 Flights After Iran Closes Airspace Amid Israel Strikes

New Delhi: Air India on Friday announced the diversion and return of more than 15 international flights after Iran closed its airspace. The decision comes following Israeli airstrikes on Iranian targets, sparking a regional alert and prompting several airlines to avoid the affected zones.

Flight tracking data showed airlines began clearing out of the airspace above Iran, Iraq, and Israel early Friday morning. Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport was shut until further notice, and Israeli defence forces were put on high alert, anticipating potential retaliation from Iran.

Air India said that the diversions were necessary to ensure the safety of passengers and crew members due to “emerging airspace restrictions” and uncertainty in the region.

Air India Flights Affected

In an official statement, Air India listed several long-haul international flights that were either diverted mid-air or returned to their origin airports. These include:

AI130 (London Heathrow–Mumbai): Diverted to Vienna

AI102 (New York–Delhi): Diverted to Sharjah

AI116 (New York–Mumbai): Diverted to Jeddah

AI2018 (London Heathrow–Delhi): Diverted to Mumbai

AI129 (Mumbai–London Heathrow): Returned to Mumbai

AI119 (Mumbai–New York): Returned to Mumbai

AI103 (Delhi–Washington): Returned to Delhi

AI106 (Newark–Delhi): Returned to Delhi

AI188 (Vancouver–Delhi): Diverted to Jeddah

AI101 (Delhi–New York): Diverted to Frankfurt/Milan

AI126 (Chicago–Delhi): Diverted to Jeddah

AI132 (London Heathrow–Bengaluru): Diverted to Sharjah

AI2016 (London Heathrow–Delhi): Diverted to Vienna

AI104 (Washington–Delhi): Diverted to Vienna

AI190 (Toronto–Delhi): Diverted to Frankfurt

AI189 (Delhi–Toronto): Returned to Delhi

Air India said it is monitoring the situation closely and will provide assistance to passengers impacted by delays or diversions.

Israel-Iran Tensions

Earlier in the day, Israel launched what it described as a large-scale military operation targeting Iran’s nuclear and missile facilities. According to the Israeli Defence Forces, the campaign is aimed at preventing Iran from advancing towards a nuclear weapon.

Iran responded by shutting its airspace until further notice, triggering flight route changes across multiple global carriers.