Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi

New Delhi, Mar 3: In a significant development amid the ongoing Middle East tensions, an Air India flight from Dubai landed safely at Indira Gandhi International Airport on Tuesday, marking the first international arrival by an Indian carrier into the national capital for the day.

The airline confirmed that Flight AI916D carried 149 passengers and eight operating crew members.

In a post on X, the Air India Newsroom said, “We are happy to welcome our guests and crew from Dubai aboard flight AI916D. This is the first flight by an Indian carrier to arrive in New Delhi today with 149 passengers and 8 operating crew members onboard, amid the ongoing situation in the Middle East.”

The airline also expressed gratitude to its teams and authorities, thanking the Government of India, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), and local authorities in Dubai for their cooperation in facilitating the flight.

Meanwhile, Dubai Airports confirmed that limited flight operations resumed on the evening of March 2 at Dubai International Airport (DXB) and Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC), with a small number of departures and arrivals permitted.

As flights gradually resume, normalcy is slowly returning to the UAE, offering relief to thousands of Indian passengers awaiting their journey home.

However, authorities have urged travellers not to proceed to DXB or DWC unless they have been directly contacted by their airline with a confirmed departure time.

Air travel in the region was disrupted following US-Israel strikes on Iran on February 28, after which Iran launched retaliatory drone and missile attacks targeting multiple locations in the region. The escalation led to widespread flight cancellations and temporary suspension of services across key Gulf hubs.