Airspace Resumes as Middle East Flights Take Off from Thiruvananthapuram

Early Tuesday morning marked the resumption of flights to the Middle East from Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, as the region's airspace reopened, officials confirmed.

Emirates, Etihad Airways, and Air Arabia were among the first carriers to restart operations to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah, with flights landing and departing smoothly, airport sources reported.

However, previously scheduled services including Air India Express to Muscat, Sharjah, Abu Dhabi, Dammam, and Dubai were cancelled earlier as circumstances settled, they explained.

Similarly, Qatar Airways' Doha flight, Kuwait Airways' Kuwait service, and IndiGo's Sharjah flight faced cancellations, according to reports.

To handle the passenger backlog, additional seating and service desks have been arranged at Terminal 2, along with extra staff deployed to assist customers on-site, authorities conveyed.

Meanwhile, Cochin International Airport also experienced multiple flight delays, cancellations, or diversions late Monday night due to Qatar's airspace closure amid rising West Asia tensions, officials noted.

An advisory from CIAL issued at 3:00 am indicated at least 17 flights were affected by the situation.

(With inputs from agencies.)