Air India Express said on Thursday that it would resume services to Qatar and Bahrain, while increasing frequencies to the UAE, Oman, and Saudi Arabia, effective 30 April 2026.
“Flights have resumed from major Indian metros and regional gateways, including Amritsar, Bengaluru, Delhi, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Kochi, Kozhikode, Kannur, Lucknow, Mangaluru, Mumbai, Tiruchirappalli, Thiruvananthapuram and Varanasi,” Air India Express said in a statement.
“Air India Express will continue operating to Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Ras Al Khaimah, Sharjah, Jeddah, Riyadh and Muscat, with the reinstatement of established routes connecting India to the Gulf region,” the airline added.
As a Tata Enterprise, Air India Express operates over 500 daily flights, linking 45 domestic hubs with 17 international destinations across South, Southeast, and West Asia. The carrier maintains a fleet of more than 100 Boeing 737 and Airbus A320 aircraft. Other major airlines, such as Air India and IndiGo, are also prepared to restart comprehensive operations at Doha’s Hamad International Airport beginning 1 May.
This restoration follows exactly two months after the launch of ‘Operation Epic Fury’ on 28 February 2026. That joint US-Israeli military offensive, aimed at the Iranian leadership and nuclear sites, sparked a significant regional conflict.
"Indian carriers plan to resume operations at Hamad International Airport, Doha, as flight operations continue to expand. Air India, Air India Express and Indigo plan to resume their flight services between Doha and various destinations in India starting 1 May 2026," posted Embassy of India Doha, Qatar on X.
The Embassy stressed that this aviation expansion is a synchronised effort involving various international aeronautical organisations rather than an isolated initiative.
Though flights restart on 1 May, the Embassy cautioned that timetables remain "subject to coordination with relevant authorities," noting that in the 2026 Middle East, stability requires constant negotiation. Travellers are encouraged to remain proactive by staying in touch with airlines for live updates on schedules, terminal changes, and booking statuses.
Despite its mediatory efforts, Qatar was caught in the hostilities. Iranian strikes on 18 March compromised 17% of Qatar's LNG capacity at Ras Laffan, halting its energy and aviation sectors. Consequently, Qatari airspace was mostly restricted to commercial planes for nearly sixty days, with Hamad International Airport (DOH) restricted to emergency and evacuation missions since March.
A fragile two-week truce, negotiated in Islamabad in mid-April and recently extended by President Trump, has created a "security window" sufficient for commercial insurers to approve the return of global airlines. The resumption of Indian flights—representing a neutral but essential regional presence—acts as a "soft" stabilising force to help revive the regional economy while nuclear negotiations remain deadlocked in Islamabad.
IATA chief says Asia, Europe could see jet fuel shortages in coming months
Willie Walsh, head of the global airline association IATA, warned on Wednesday of potential jet fuel shortages across Asia and Europe in the coming months. He noted that the extreme spike in fuel expenses is being increasingly passed on to passengers through higher ticket prices.
Jet fuel, which represents a massive portion of airline overhead, has seen prices soar due to supply chain disruptions and geopolitical volatility stemming from the ongoing Middle East conflict.
"Everybody's watching what's happening with jet fuel -- both supply and pricing. On the supply side, over the next few months, we could see shortages in parts of the world with high dependence on supplies from the Gulf, especially Asia and Europe," Walsh, the IATA Director General, said in a statement.
In a significant leadership shift, Walsh is scheduled to transition from his role at IATA to become the CEO of IndiGo, India’s largest airline, this August. He will succeed interim leadership following the resignation of former CEO Pieter Elbers earlier this year.
According to Walsh, the financial burden of these "extraordinarily high" fuel costs is now a primary driver of rising airfares.
"While this has not impacted March traffic or forward bookings to date, it remains to be seen at what point high prices could start to shift passenger behaviour. So far, the summer is shaping up to be a normally busy time for travel. That's positive news, but airline resilience is being tested and stabilising the supply and price of fuel is crucial," he said.
