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IndiGo flight to Delhi escapes Iran shutdown minutes before skies closed, arrives safely
The aircraft is believed to have been the last non-Iranian commercial plane in the air before Tehran authorities closed their airspace.
A Delhi-bound IndiGo flight from Tbilisi, Georgia, narrowly made it through Iranian airspace just before Tehran abruptly shut its skies, aviation data and airline statements showed - underscoring how the sudden closure has thrown international flight operations into disarray.
IndiGo flight 6E1808, which departed Tbilisi late on Wednesday night, passed over Iran at about 2.35 am on Thursday and landed in Delhi at 7.03 am, according to real-time tracking data from Flightradar24.
Track live updates on the unrest in Iran here
The aircraft is believed to have been the last non-Iranian commercial plane in the air before Tehran’s aviation authorities issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) suddenly closing most of the country’s airspace.
The abrupt shutdown, imposed as violent protests across Iran intensified following unrest that began on December 28, halted most flights except a limited number of approved services and forced carriers to hastily adjust or cancel plans.
Also read: Why is Iran airspace crucial for airlines? High costs and a past deadly mistake are involved
Wider impact on Indian airlines
The incident has triggered a cascade of travel disruptions for Indian carriers. Alongside the Tbilisi-Delhi service narrowly beating the closure, IndiGo has cancelled its Mumbai–Tbilisi and Tbilisi–Mumbai flights for Friday, reflecting ongoing operational challenges caused by the restricted routing.
IndiGo, Air India and SpiceJet have all issued advisories urging passengers on affected routes to check flight statuses, rebook or seek refunds as needed. IndiGo said it was providing support options to those impacted by the unexpected closures.
In a travel advisory on social media platform X, IndiGo acknowledged that disruptions were beyond its control and pledged assistance for travellers to find alternatives. Air India said flights that could be rerouted were being adjusted, though with possible delays, while services that could not avoid the no-fly zone have been cancelled.
Why Iran aispace closure matters
Iran occupies a strategic air corridor between Europe, Central Asia and South Asia. When its airspace is suddenly restricted, carriers are forced to reroute long-haul flights around the region, adding hours to journeys and straining airline schedules.
The unplanned closure not only affects routes to Europe and the Middle East but also key connections like Tbilisi and other Caucasus destinations.
For now, international operators are monitoring the situation closely, ready to reroute flights as needed while hoping for clarity on when normal airspace operations might resume.
Passengers travelling on routes that historically use Iranian airspace have been advised to stay updated with airline notices and check flight status before departure.
