Kolkata, Feb 28 (PTI) Flight services from Kolkata to the Middle East were disrupted on Saturday, with four departures cancelled amid escalating tensions following a joint US-Israel military offensive against Iran, officials said.
The cancellations were announced due to operational disruptions at transit hubs in the region, an official of the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata said.
The affected services were Emirates flight EK 573 to Dubai, Qatar Airways flight QR 541 to Doha, Air Arabia flight 3L 167 to Abu Dhabi, and Etihad Airways flight EY 221 to Abu Dhabi, officials said.
While the morning Emirates service to Dubai operated as scheduled, evening departures were called off after Dubai International Airport suspended operations, citing safety concerns amid the regional unrest, they said.
Passengers have been advised to contact their respective airlines for rebooking or refunds, they said.
Flight operations to Middle Eastern destinations are likely to remain affected on Sunday as well, depending on the evolving security situation and airspace restrictions in the region, they added.
Following the attack by the US and Israel, Iran launched retaliatory military strikes targeting several American military bases in the Middle East, including in Qatar, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) advised airlines to avoid airspaces of 11 countries, including Iran, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, till March 2. PTI BSM SOM
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