A British Airways flight going from Chennai to London had to return just a few hours after takeoff on Sunday morning. The flight was turned back because Iranian airspace was suddenly closed, following reports of US airstrikes on nuclear sites in Iran.
The flight was supposed to take off at 5:35 AM (IST), but it left 40 minutes late, at 6:24 AM, with 206 passengers onboard.
After the plane flew out of Indian airspace and reached the Arabian Sea, the pilots were informed that Iranian airspace was closed. To stay safe, they decided to return to Chennai and informed the air traffic control. The flight landed safely at 8:50 AM and was moved to a parking bay by 9:20 AM.
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British Airways confirmed that the flight returned due to the sudden closure of Iranian airspace.
Passengers were taken off the plane and given refreshments while they waited at the airport. Officials said the plane would be refueled and take off again around 10:30 AM, this time using a new route that does not go over Iran.
The airspace closure affected other flights too. Many flights from Chennai to the Middle East were delayed, including flights to Kuwait, Doha, Dubai, Sharjah, and Abu Dhabi.
- A Kuwait Airways flight scheduled to leave at 3:30 AM finally departed at 5:40 AM.
- Qatar Airways and Emirates flights were delayed by about an hour each.
Passengers were kept informed and safe throughout the process.
