Thiruvananthapuram, June 24
The sudden closure of airspace over parts of the Middle East from late Monday evening triggered widespread chaos at Kerala’s four major international airports on Tuesday, with hundreds of passengers stranded due to numerous flight cancellations.
Display boards at Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, Kozhikode and Kannur airports showed long lists of cancelled and delayed flights, leaving travellers in a state of uncertainty.
However, with reports emerging that the situation is beginning to normalise after the ceasefire between Israel and Iran was announced, many have heaved a sigh of relief as airlines began rescheduling affected journeys.
Home to over a quarter-million Keralites, various Middle Eastern countries rely heavily on air connectivity with Kerala.
Popular magician Gopinath Muthukad, who was at Doha airport on Monday night when the disruption occurred, shared his experience.
He said, “I was informed of the sudden closure after reaching the airport. Now I’ve been issued a boarding pass for Tuesday night. Things appear to be returning to normal in Qatar, and I’ve been told that, apart from some delays, flight operations should resume soon.”