London Flight Returns to Chennai Mid-Air Over Iran Crisis
A London-bound British Airways flight with over 200 passengers onboard returned mid-air to Chennai early Sunday following the sudden closure of Iranian airspace, triggered by reported US military strikes on nuclear facilities in Iran. The emergency rerouting underscores the growing ripple effect of geopolitical tensions on India’s international aviation corridors.
The British Airways service, originally scheduled to depart Chennai International Airport at 05:35 IST, took off at 06:24 with 206 passengers. After entering the Arabian Sea air corridor, pilots received an alert regarding the closure of Iranian airspace—one of the critical routes for West-bound long-haul flights. Acting on this, the flight crew informed Chennai air traffic control and turned the aircraft back. It landed safely at 08:50 and was taxied to a remote bay by 09:20. British Airways later confirmed the operational diversion, citing Iranian airspace restrictions as the cause. Passengers were deboarded, served refreshments, and briefed about revised flight arrangements. The flight was reportedly set to refuel and depart around 10:30 with a new flight path circumventing Iranian territory.
The airspace restriction had wider operational repercussions. Multiple outbound flights from Chennai to the Middle East experienced delays of up to two hours. A Kuwait Airways service, originally scheduled for 03:30, was rescheduled to 05:40. Departures to Doha, Dubai, Sharjah, and Abu Dhabi, operated by major Gulf carriers, were similarly affected. Airport logistics teams worked overnight to manage the cascading delays and gate reassignments, with airline officials citing “operational recalibration” as the reason. While India’s civil aviation authorities did not issue a public advisory, air traffic control units in Mumbai, Delhi, and Chennai were put on high alert late Saturday night, preparing for re-routing contingencies. Iranian airspace forms a crucial segment for several Europe- and US-bound flights from India, particularly for carriers like British Airways, Lufthansa, and Emirates that operate over Iran as part of standard flight plans.
Airline representatives on-ground worked to reassure travellers, with airport officials saying additional security and logistical measures were in place to manage further disruptions if required. “Safety remains the top priority,” noted one official. As of noon on Sunday, flight operations from Chennai had partially stabilised, though long-haul departures were being closely monitored for updated advisories from international airspace authorities.
