IndiGo's Delhi-Manchester Flight Forced to Return to Delhi Due to Sudden Middle East Airspace Restrictions

New Delhi: An IndiGo flight bound for Manchester from Delhi was compelled to make a mid-air U-turn and return to the Indian capital after nearly seven hours in the air, following unexpected airspace closures linked to the escalating tensions in West Asia.

The flight, 6E033, operated by Norse using a Boeing 787 aircraft, departed from Indira Gandhi International Airport early Monday morning. It marked the resumption of IndiGo's direct Delhi-Manchester service, the first since February 26.

According to real-time data from Flightradar24, the aircraft followed a southerly route over the Gulf of Aden and parts of Africa to circumvent conflict zones in the Middle East amid heightened Iran-Israel hostilities. Despite this cautious path, it abruptly reversed course near the Ethiopia-Eritrea border.

IndiGo confirmed the diversion in an official statement, attributing it to last-minute airspace restrictions imposed due to the volatile situation in West Asia.

“Due to the evolving situation in and around the Middle East, some of our flights may take longer routes or experience diversions," an IndiGo spokesperson said.

It added, "Our flight 6E 033 operating from Delhi to Manchester had to return to its origin due to last-minute airspace restrictions, owing to the ongoing situation in West Asia."

The airline stated that passenger, crew, and aircraft safety remain its top priority and is collaborating with relevant authorities to assess options for resuming the journey.

The standard great-circle distance for the Delhi-Manchester route is approximately 6,829 km, with a typical duration of about 11 hours under normal conditions.

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