Did Air India plane fly over war-torn Iran? — Airline fact checks viral flight tracking image

Tensions in the Middle East disrupted flight operations of several airlines, including Air India. US-Israel war with Iran impacted several carriers, including Emirates, Etihad, Qatar Airways, Oman Air, SpiceJet and IndiGo, among others. However, images of Air India plane flying over the conflict-stricken zone of Iran and other Gulf countries is doing the rounds on social media.

Air India Newsroom issued a fact check on Thursday, snubbing these viral reports. Warning against the fake news, Air India in a post on X stated, “Air India does not operate flights over any restricted airspace.” Suggesting that viral flight tracking images circulating on social media are incorrect, the airlines said, Flight routes are planned using real‑time intelligence, global advisories, and continuous monitoring to ensure every journey remains safe, compliant, and reliable."

Air India further noted that these viral images do not reflect the airline's actual flight operations or safety protocols. “These operational decisions underline Air India’s firm commitment to prioritising the safety and security of passengers and crew above everything else,” the statement added.

The caption corresponding viral images stated, “Air India flew over restricted airspace in the Middle East despite tensions in the region.”

Several countries have started evacuations of their nationals stranded in the Gulf countries, including India, France, Spain and US. According to PTI report, around 180 flights from key airports — Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru — “were cancelled on Wednesday owing to airspace restrictions amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.”

Air India's latest update on flight operations suggest that the airline will commence its scheduled operations to and from Jeddah to Delhi and Mumbai from 5 March. Air India on Wednesday said that it will operate 3 additional flights to Toronto, Frankfurt, and Paris from 5 March.

In a post on X Air India stated, “From 5 to 11 March, we’re operating 3 additional flights between Delhi and Toronto From 7 to 10 March, we’ve added three flights between Delhi and Frankfurt, and one flight between Delhi and Paris (Charles de Gaulle).”