While IndiGo has seven aircraft on the ground, Air India Express has six aircraft parked at airports in West Asia. The list also includes Air India (2), Akasa Air (1), QuikJet (1) and SpiceJet (1 wet-leased aircraft).
The following airports have the maximum number of Indian aircraft on the ground: Dubai (5) and Abu Dhabi (5), followed by Dubai World Central (2) and Istanbul (2). One plane has each been parked at the airports of Athens, Bahrain, Doha and Sharjah since Saturday due to the closure of the airspace.
Sources say that more than 200 pilots and crew members of IndiGo and Air India Express are stuck in West Asia. As an Air India Boeing 777 bound for Tel Aviv returned from the skies on Saturday, 16 Air India crew members are in Israel.
“We are in touch with our crew members. They are all safe. They are in their hotels and have been advised not to go out,” an Air India Express official said. An IndiGo executive said the crew has also been instructed to follow the advice of the local Indian embassy.
The airports of Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Kuwait have been attacked by Iran, which is retaliating against US and Israeli attacks. Emirates and Etihad said they have suspended all flights to and from Dubai and Abu Dhabi until Monday afternoon.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has issued a safety advisory to Indian airlines in view of the ongoing conflict in West Asia. Airlines have been advised not to operate in West Asian airspace.
“Any continuation of operations would be at the discretion of the operator based on its safety risk assessment,” DGCA said in its advisory issued on Saturday.
Published on March 1, 2026
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