Thiruvananthapuram: Flights from Trivandrum International Airport faced significant disruptions on June 23 and 24, 2025, following heightened military tensions between Iran and the United States in the Gulf region. As a precautionary move, several Gulf nations including Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and the UAE temporarily closed their airspace, leading to immediate consequences for flights originating from South India, especially Kerala.
A Gulf Air service bound for Bahrain from Trivandrum was dramatically recalled mid-air and forced to return to the airport shortly after takeoff. The abrupt closure of Bahraini airspace, coupled with heightened regional alertness, prompted aviation authorities to suspend or delay several other outbound flights to the Middle East. These included scheduled services operated by Air India Express, Qatar Airways, Emirates, and IndiGo, all of which cater to a significant volume of Gulf-bound passengers, particularly from Kerala’s expatriate population.
Air India Express, which operates direct connections to destinations like Dammam and Muscat, announced multiple cancellations and route diversions. A Kochi–Muscat flight was also rerouted, suggesting that the disruption extended beyond Trivandrum to other key airports in the state. Airlines cited the uncertainty surrounding air corridor access and military advisories as reasons for the flight halts.
Air India, the national carrier, suspended all flights to the Middle East for at least 24 hours in response to safety concerns. The ripple effect of this move impacted not just international operations but also several domestic feeder flights scheduled to connect to international services. Meanwhile, IndiGo and other budget airlines issued alerts advising passengers of potential delays and urged them to stay updated via mobile apps and customer support services.
These disruptions are a direct fallout of Iran’s retaliatory missile strike on the U.S. military base at Al Udeid in Qatar, which had followed an earlier U.S. assault on Iranian nuclear facilities. In response to these strikes, Gulf nations temporarily shut down their airspace to avoid any potential risk to civilian aviation. Although most Gulf airspaces have since reopened, the situation remains volatile, and airlines are navigating with extreme caution.
Air traffic over the Persian Gulf is being slowly restored, but airlines continue to use alternate longer flight paths to avoid hotspots, increasing flight durations and operational costs. Airports in Doha, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi have resumed operations, but passengers have been warned to expect last-minute changes or reroutings depending on geopolitical developments.
Travelers from Trivandrum are advised to remain in close contact with their airlines, check real-time flight status updates, and allow for additional time at the airport. Given the fluidity of the situation, aviation authorities in India are working in coordination with Gulf nations to ensure the safety of passengers and aircraft.
In conclusion, while airspace is reopening and services are resuming, the aftershocks of the Iran–US conflict continue to affect the skies, with Kerala home to a vast number of Gulf-bound travelers bearing a significant brunt of the disruption.