NEW DELHI: In the midst of an ongoing conflict in West Asia, direct air connectivity to some of the region’s most isolated areas is slowly resuming. On Sunday, Kuwait saw its first direct flights to India and other countries since February 28. Jazeera Airways plans to operate weekly flights depending on the evolving situation, while Gulf Air has been servicing routes between Bahrain International Airport and various Indian destinations since April 21. However, the UAE has not yet permitted foreign carriers, including those from India, to operate for this summer season.
Indians represent the largest expatriate community in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states. Bahrain and Kuwait have faced significant disruptions in air travel, while Qatar and the UAE have had limited services. Notably, only Oman and Saudi Arabia currently offer scheduled flights. A senior official from an Indian airline stated, “The Saudi airspace is now nearly fully open, operating at levels comparable to pre-February 28.”
Iran is also planning to open its airspace soon. “I am happy to be on the first flight to India as Kuwait International Airport resumes operations,” said Paramita Tripathi, the Indian ambassador to Kuwait, on X. The first flights, operated by low-cost Jazeera Airways after a 57-day airport closure, included routes to Beirut, Cairo, Istanbul, and Mumbai. The airline will also begin service to Delhi and Kochi this week.
According to Barathan Pasupathi, Jazeera Airways’ Indian-origin CEO, the connectivity from Kuwait will expand gradually. “We are operating the Kuwait airport from 8 am to 4 pm as per guidelines. For this week, we are flying directly to Delhi, Mumbai, and Kochi with a total of 14 flights. For all other Indian cities, we are operating via Dammam and will eventually transition to direct routes.”
As part of temporary operational procedures, passengers are required to update their passport information 12 hours prior to their flight. Pasupathi emphasized that the departures from Jazeera Terminal 5 signify a crucial milestone in restoring direct connectivity from Kuwait, underscoring the airline’s role in facilitating travel and essential supply chains.
By May 2, Jazeera Airways had scheduled 48 flights to various destinations, including Beirut, Cairo, Istanbul, Mumbai, Amman, Damascus, Delhi, Kochi, Jeddah, and Riyadh. Additionally, the Indian embassy in Saudi Arabia has commenced preparations for the arrival of Haj visitors. Ambassador Suhel Khan visited Makkah to oversee arrangements for Indian Haj pilgrims and welcomed the first group arriving from Madinah by train, as reported on X.
