IndiGo on Tuesday said it had changed schedules and canceled flights on various international routes because of the developing situation in Iran given the security situation and would halt the operations on the affected sectors until February 28. The airline claimed that the move was done in a bid to protect the safety of passengers and the crew due to the still expected on-going uncertainty in the region.
In a travel advisory, IndiGo wrote that it has cancelled flights to and from destinations including Tbilisi, Almaty, Baku, and Tashkent until this period and other international flights might experience a rescheduled date. The airline has added that the affected passengers due to these changes have been provided with lenient terms such as alternative ways of traveling or total refunds depending on their choice.
IndiGo insisted that it is keeping a close eye on the situation and that its operational plans are being periodically reviewed. The airline promised to inform customers about any additional flight schedule or route operations any changes via official channels, and thanked their customers to be patient and understanding as the airline continues to operate with operations disrupted.
The relocation is in the face of the current geopolitical tension with Iran. Although there are signs that the relationships between the United States and Iran are on the path of de-escalation with both parties even planning to restart negotiations over the nuclear problem later this week, there is still a certain degree of uncertainty that remains in the region.
Most recent comments by US President Donald Trump such as threats of deploying armies and renewed threats of Tehran to agree have contributed to the concerns of the market and travel sectors. Iranian representatives, in their turn, have warned that they are ready to engage in a possible military conflict, warning that any growth of the conflict may turn into a full-scale fight in the region.
Companies that handle flights via West and Central Asia are carefully measuring risks and some of the airlines have decided to divert or even suspend the routes as a precautionary measure.