36 flights cancelled for the third day in Chennai
Flight operations between Chennai and several Middle East destinations remained severely disrupted for the third consecutive day on Monday, with 36 services cancelled amid escalating tensions following the US–Israel conflict with Iran.
A total of 18 outbound flights from Chennai International Airport to key destinations including Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Bahrain, Kuwait and Muscat were cancelled. Similarly, 18 inbound services from these cities to Chennai were also called off, taking the total cancellations for the day to 36. The sudden disruptions left hundreds of passengers stranded and scrambling for alternative arrangements.
The impact has been mounting over the past three days. On February 28, as many as 28 flights — 16 arrivals and 12 departures — were cancelled. On March 1, the number rose to 33 flights operating to and from Gulf and other Middle East countries.
The disruption follows sudden military strikes by Israel and the United States on Iran, triggering retaliatory missile and rocket attacks by Iran on locations housing US bases. With tensions escalating across West Asia, Iran and several neighbouring countries have shut down their airspace, severely affecting flight paths across the region.
Airport officials indicated that further cancellations cannot be ruled out if the situation persists. Flights arriving in Chennai from destinations such as London, the United States and Germany typically pass through Iranian and Middle Eastern airspace.
Due to current restrictions, these flights are being rerouted, resulting in significant delays in arrivals and subsequent departures. In some cases, cancellations may follow depending on operational feasibility.