‘No better feeling’: Air India flies 149 stranded passengers from Dubai to Delhi as tensions rise in West Asia

New Delhi: Amid escalating tensions in West Asia, air india On Monday, 149 passengers stranded in Dubai were brought back to Delhi.This marked the first arrival of an Indian airline into the national capital that day. “We are delighted to welcome guests and crew from Dubai on board flight AI916D. This is the first Air India flight to arrive in New Delhi today with 149 passengers and eight crew members on board, amid ongoing tensions in the Middle East,” Air India Newsroom announced in a post on X.

Further mentioning the role of the authorities, it added: “My heartfelt thanks to our team, the Government of India, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and Dubai local authorities for their continued collaboration in making this return possible.”It further expressed its joy at the successful flight, “There is no better feeling than bringing our guests and crew home.”Operations at Dubai Airports are expected to partially resume after being disrupted for several days due to rising regional tensions.Dubai Airports has announced that it will resume limited flight operations on the evening of Monday, March 2, with some flights from Dubai International Airport (DXB) and Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC) allowed. Previously, airspace restrictions in parts of the Middle East led to widespread flight cancellations.The disruption followed a February 28 U.S. and Israeli attack on Iran, prompting Tehran to launch retaliatory drone and missile strikes targeting multiple locations in the region. The ongoing escalation has led some countries to temporarily close airspace corridors, ground flights and leave thousands of passengers stranded.The UAE aviation industry is returning to normalcy as airlines gradually resume services. For thousands of Indian tourists waiting for the chance to return home, a phased reopening could bring cautious relief.However, authorities urged passengers to remain vigilant. Travelers are advised not to travel to DXB or DWC unless they have received direct confirmation from the airline regarding scheduled departure time, as operations remain limited and subject to change.