Flight cancellations affect Kerala-Gulf countries routes: What to know

Kochi: A majority of flights from Kerala to Gulf countries remain cancelled as the ongoing conflict in West Asia continues to disrupt air travel. Four international airports in the state reported widespread cancellations on Sunday, leaving many passengers stranded despite prior advisories to check flight status before arriving at the airport.

Thiruvananthapuram International Airport Limited (TIAL) recorded 37 cancelled international flights to Gulf destinations since Saturday afternoon, including 26 scheduled on Sunday. Kannur International Airport also saw six flights to Gulf countries cancelled on Sunday, according to officials.

At Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL), 35 flights to the Gulf region were cancelled as per the official schedule. Nevertheless, some services continued, including Oman Air’s flight from Kochi to Muscat at 8:10 am. Scheduled flights at CIAL also include a Saudia Airlines service to Jeddah, an IndiGo flight to Dubai, Air Arabia flights to Sharjah and Abu Dhabi, and Etihad and SpiceJet flights to Abu Dhabi and Dubai, respectively.

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Calicut International Airport experienced around 10 flight cancellations to the Gulf, with a Saudia Airlines flight from Riyadh arriving at 8:15 am. Airlines have set up dedicated help desks at all four airports to assist affected passengers and provide rebooking or refund guidance.

Passengers travelling from Kerala to the Middle East are advised to monitor airline updates closely and confirm flight schedules before heading to the airport.

PTI