Chennai: A British Airways flight from Chennai to London was forced to turn back mid-air on Sunday morning after a sudden closure of Middle Eastern airspace, triggered by escalating military tensions between the US and Iran.
Flight BA276, a Boeing 777 carrying 247 passengers and 15 crew members, took off from Chennai International Airport at 6:24 a.m.—about an hour behind schedule. After crossing Bengaluru and entering the skies above the Arabian Sea, the crew received urgent notification that major Middle Eastern air corridors had been shut down, rendering the intended route to London inaccessible.
The closure followed overnight US military strikes on Iranian targets, prompting several countries in the region to suspend civilian overflights as a security measure.
Alerted to the development, the flight crew swiftly contacted air traffic control in both Chennai and London. In coordination with aviation authorities, the aircraft was instructed to return to Chennai to ensure passenger safety.
The plane landed safely at approximately 10:00 a.m. and was guided to a remote stand for disembarkation. All 262 people on board were reported safe.
Airport authorities arranged temporary accommodations for affected passengers in airport lounges and nearby hotels across the city.
British Airways confirmed the return of its London-bound flight in an official statement, noting that it was “assessing available options for onwards travel”. The airline also emphasised, “Passenger safety remains our top priority,” and assured that updates would follow once alternate routes were secured or the closed airspace reopened.
The abrupt turn-back triggered heightened activity at Chennai airport, as passengers voiced confusion and concern over the unexpected delay.
The regional airspace shutdown also disrupted several outbound flights from Chennai to Gulf destinations. Services to Kuwait, Doha, Dubai, Sharjah, and Abu Dhabi experienced notable delays.
A Kuwait Airways flight, originally set to depart at 3:30 a.m., eventually left at 5:40 a.m., while flights operated by Qatar Airways to Doha and Emirates to Dubai were each delayed by nearly an hour.
This episode adds to a string of international air travel disruptions linked to escalating unrest in the Middle East, fuelling fears of more delays and detours in the days ahead.
(inputs from IANS)