Air India reroutes Delhi‑Tel Aviv flight to Mumbai after Israel closes airspace

New Delhi: Air India on Saturday diverted its Delhi-Tel Aviv flight to Mumbai due to the closure of Israeli airspace.

Israel has launched attacks on Iran, following which some airspaces are closed for flight operations.

"AI139 operating from Delhi to Tel Aviv on 28 February is returning to India due to closure of airspace in Israel and in the interest of safety of passengers and crew," the airline said in a statement.

An airline official said the flight has been diverted to Mumbai.

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"We will continue to assess the safety and security environment for our flight operations and adjust operations proactively as needed," Air India said.

The flight, operated with a Boeing 777 aircraft, was airborne for more than five hours, and the airline decided to return when it was in Saudi Arabian airspace, according to information available on the flight tracking website Flightradar24.com.

The airline also regretted the inconvenience caused to passengers due to this unforeseen situation.

Meanwhile, IndiGo said it was closely monitoring regional updates concerning Iran and its airspace.

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"Our teams stand prepared to implement any necessary adjustments as the situation evolves," it said in a post on X and asked passengers to check their flight status before departure.

Flight tracking website Flightradar24.com, in a post on X, said the closed airspaces are affecting many flights and airlines.

PTI