New Delhi: Passengers arriving in Delhi from Muscat on Friday reported that life in Oman remains normal despite escalating tensions in parts of West Asia, with travellers facing no disruptions during their stay or transit.

One passenger told IANS that daily life in Muscat continues without interruption. “All offices and schools are functioning normally. People are helping each other, so we did not face any problems,” the traveller said.

Another passenger highlighted Muscat’s role as a regional transit hub, noting its convenience for passengers from nearby countries. “People living in Dubai and Qatar are coming to Muscat to catch flights because connectivity from Muscat is very good,” the passenger said.

A third traveller described the situation in Oman as calm. “It is very good there, and life is normal,” the passenger added.

Meanwhile, one traveller recounted that his flight on February 28 had been diverted due to reports of missile blasts. “My flight was diverted from Doha to Turkey, where the situation was unstable. Later, we flew from Turkey to Muscat, where everything was normal, and we did not face any problems,” he said.

Airlines gradually resume Middle East operations

Domestic carriers are gradually restoring limited flight operations to and from the Middle East, though thousands of services remain cancelled amid airspace restrictions linked to the US-Israel and Iran conflict.

IndiGo announced it will operate 17 departures (34 sectors) on Friday to eight Middle East destinations and is coordinating with government authorities to resume flights safely.

Air India and Air India Express confirmed the resumption of flights to Jeddah and Muscat after Saudi Arabia and Oman reopened their airspaces.

SpiceJet said it will operate special flights from the UAE to India on March 6 and 7, with additional services on March 8 to ease passenger movement amid ongoing disruptions. IndiGo noted that passengers would be contacted directly before heading to airports.

Air India also announced ad-hoc repatriation flights from Dubai, Ras Al Khaimah, and Fujairah on March 6, subject to regulatory approvals. Scheduled services to other West Asia destinations remain suspended until March 10, with passengers able to rebook without additional charges for tickets issued until March 4 covering travel between February 28 and March 8.

Middle East flight cancellations continue

Industry data shows that Dubai International Airport traffic nearly doubled on Thursday compared with the previous day, reaching 25 per cent of normal levels. Between February 28 and March 5, over 44,000 flights were scheduled in and out of the Middle East, with more than 25,000 flights cancelled so far.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has been coordinating with airlines and agencies, activating a Passenger Assistance Control Room to help stranded travellers. The Ministry of Civil Aviation continues to monitor ticket prices to prevent any undue surge during this period.

IANS