Indian airlines have started to resume operations in Riyadh after two weeks of disruptions in the West Asia region for travellers heading to Gulf countries. The Indian government is keeping a close watch on air traffic and passenger safety throughout this process. The strategy implemented for restarting services will be done in phases and will be performed conservatively, allowing readers to understand how the current airline industry balances the effect of commercial pressures associated with airlines in the West Asia region, airline crew logistics and international geopolitical sensitivities.
In the first phase of services on Wednesday, only a few flights were scheduled to arrive at their destinations: two flights from Mumbai operated by Air India and IndiGo and a single flight into Kozhikode operated by Air India Express. The plan includes the delivery of services to locations with the highest humanitarian and worker support. The Indian government stated that these are part of ongoing plans to restore services while monitoring the current security situation in the West Asia region at all times.
What is the rush – but not too much of a rush? The Gulf-India corridor is a lifeline for people in the countries along it. More than 150,000 passengers returned to India from Gulf countries between February 28 and March 11, which illustrates how many people rely on air connections to support their livelihoods and reunite families. Returning only a fraction of the flights now would also help relieve lines at consular offices, reduce accommodation demands, and reunite seasonal workers with their pay cycles and access to medical services.
From an operational perspective, airlines continue to struggle with difficult mathematics. Rerouting flights around unstable airspace can take hours of flying time and add additional fuel burn; crew duty limits and turnaround issues make it harder to rapidly scale up flight levels; and the volatile nature of jet fuel pricing will create additional costs that airlines may pass onto their passengers. Indian airlines have already indicated small increases in their fares due to higher costs; for example, one of the possible options under consideration is introducing a fuel surcharge of ₹399 on selected tickets – this is a relatively low headline figure but reflects significant underlying cost pressures.
In addition to the economy, Saudi Arabia is home to approximately 2.46 million Indians, including nurses, technicians, builders, household staff, and professionals, who rely on aviation networks for their daily lives. For many Indian families, the resumption of flights represents much more than just convenience. It will also provide a path for remittances, health care access, and family reunions.
Airline and governmental authorities prioritise safety via the use of NOTAMs and air traffic control advisories in conjunction with diplomatic channels, all almost in real-time with respect to flight routing, but will not eliminate the risk (possibility) of sudden cancellations at present (due to limited scheduling and coordination of all parties) while allowing for an opportunity for airlines to verify crew availability and ground handling at the destination airports. On the market side, investors will be monitoring fuel prices and geopolitical developments, as a sudden increase in either could prompt a different operational pivot.
Passengers should confirm with their airline prior to heading out to the airport, be prepared for possible surcharges and routing changes, and arrive earlier than normal (because airlines are rescheduling services) to accommodate for immigration processing and retrieving luggage. The experience has indicated to policymakers that the seams of globalisation (labour markets, remittances, and airline schedules) may fray very quickly; hence, coordinated efforts between ministries and airlines will be necessary to enable the continued mobility of populations without sacrificing safety.
