Bengaluru airport sees rare Qatar Airways line-up amid Gulf unrest: 'What a sight'

This comes as several flights to and from the Middle East were cancelled due to temporary closure of airspace in parts of the Gulf region.

Bengaluru Airport COO Satyaki Raghunath took to X to share a video of five Qatar Airways aircraft on the tarmac at Kempegowda International Airport (KIA), calling it a “silver lining” amid regional disruptions.

At least six international arrivals and 10 departures were cancelled from KIA as of July 23–24. (X/@SatyakiRaghuna1)

“Every cloud has a silver lining,” Raghunath wrote. “The temporary airspace closure around @HIAQatar last night/this morning meant that we had five @qatarairways heavies on the ground at Bengaluru airport. What a sight on the ramp!!!”

His post came as several flights to and from the Middle East were cancelled due to temporary closure of airspace in parts of the Gulf region.

16 flights cancelled to and from Bengaluru

According to a report by The Hindu, at least six international arrivals and 10 departures were cancelled from KIA as of July 23–24. The disruption was attributed to ongoing unrest in the Guregion, affecting flight routes and operations.

Among the cancelled arrivals were three IndiGo flights from Doha, Abu Dhabi, and Jeddah; one Kuwait Airways flight from Kuwait; one Akasa Air flight from Abu Dhabi; and one Air India flight from London, the report futher added.

Departures that were called off included four IndiGo flights bound for Jeddah, Abu Dhabi, Doha, and Dubai; one Kuwait Airways flight to Kuwait; one Akasa Air flight to Abu Dhabi; two Air India Express flights to Dammam and Abu Dhabi; one Gulf Air flight to Bahrain; and one Air India flight to London.

According to the publication, Bengaluru airport officials said they are closely monitoring the situation and advised passengers to check with their respective airlines for the latest updates.