Post by : Jyoti Gupta

Photo:Reuters

A London-bound plane had to return to Chennai after flying for a while because airspace over parts of the Middle East was suddenly closed. This happened on Sunday morning, June 22, because of rising tensions between the United States and Iran.

The flight, carrying 247 passengers and 15 crew members, took off from Chennai at 6:24 AM—about an hour later than planned. It was flying over the Arabian Sea after passing Bengaluru when the pilot received a message saying that some key air routes had been shut down.

These airspace closures came after the US reportedly carried out military strikes in Iran. To keep civilian planes safe, countries in the region stopped allowing flights through their skies.

The pilot quickly contacted air traffic control in Chennai and London. After talking it over, they decided the safest thing to do was to return to Chennai. The plane landed safely around 10 AM and was taken to a quiet part of the airport so passengers could get off calmly.

All 262 people on board were safe. Airport teams arranged lounges and hotels for the passengers to rest while the airline looked into the best way to get them to London later.

Other flights going from Chennai to places like Dubai, Doha, Kuwait, and Abu Dhabi were also delayed because of airspace problems. Some took off late by an hour or more.

The airline said keeping people safe is their main goal, and they are now working on new plans for passengers' onward travel once things settle down.

Chennai International Airport