Iran-Israel Conflict: Lufthansa, SWISS And Air India Services To Mumbai And Hyderabad Disrupted | Details

Iran-Israel Conflict: As Iran launches a fervid missile attack on Israel, the war seems to be escalating in the Middle East, airlines have been forced to alter their flight routes, directly affecting services to Indian cities such as Mumbai and Hyderabad. As a result, Lufthansa's flights from Frankfurt to Hyderabad and Mumbai turned back to Germany, while SWISS and Air India have made adjustments to bypass the conflict zones.

Lufthansa, SWISS Adjust Routes to Avoid Conflict Zones

Lufthansa’s flights LH 752 (Frankfurt-Hyderabad) and LH 756 (Frankfurt-Mumbai) were already en route and over Turkey when the missile attacks took place. Both aircraft returned to Frankfurt, leading to the cancellation of the return flights to India early Wednesday morning. A Lufthansa spokesperson confirmed, “Due to the current security situation, we are no longer flying through the airspaces of Iraq, Iran, and Jordan.” However, Lufthansa’s Munich-Mumbai service on Tuesday could operate without issue, as per the report.

READ MORE: Bengaluru Metro Services On Green Line To Face Disruption On October 3 | Check Timings

SWISS Airlines has also adjusted its routes to avoid the conflict zones. In a statement, SWISS said, “This will increase flight times by up to 15 minutes on our Dubai, India, and Southeast Asia services. Regardless of this short-term adjustment, Israeli and Lebanese airspace will be bypassed up to and including October 31.” On Tuesday, the airline’s Zurich-Dubai flight had to divert to Antalya, Turkey, for refuelling due to the longer route it was forced to take.

Air India, which operates several direct flights to the Middle East and beyond, is closely monitoring the situation. An Air India official explained, “All our flights are assessed daily for any potential security or safety risks, whether it is in the Middle East or any other part of our route network. Adjustments are made, if required, to avoid areas of risk with minimal impact on our non-stop operations.”

Airlines Respond to Growing Concerns Over GPS Jamming and Safety

The region has seen growing concerns over airspace safety in recent months. Opsgroup, a global organisation representing flight operations professionals, warned in August about potential airspace closures in Iran, Iraq, and Jordan in the event of aerial attacks. It also brought forward the issue of GPS jamming and spoofing, which has worsened in conflict areas.

Pilots flying across the Middle East have voiced their concerns about the interference. “The moment we cross the Iran-Pakistan border, jamming and spoofing start. This continues right till we clear Turkey in the west,” said one senior pilot. Russian airspace, especially near conflict zones, is also experiencing similar issues. Pilots are trained to handle such situations by using alternate navigation systems. “We inform enroute air traffic controllers and ask them to monitor our position on radar,” said another pilot.

READ MORE: Greater Noida Traffic Advisory: Key Road Closed From October 4 To 9 Near Maripat Railway Station; Check Alternate Routes, Timings

This issue has become increasingly common, with multiple war zones complicating international flight operations. Airlines are now exchanging real-time information to navigate the growing risks in these conflict zones.

For now, passengers travelling to Indian cities like Mumbai and Hyderabad are being affected by these route changes, with delays and cancellations expected to continue until the situation stabilises.