Akasa Air to operate one Abu Dhabi flight, multiple Saudi services; Air Arabia suspends UAE ops till March 9 amid West Asia conflict

Abu Dhabi [UAE], March 4 (ANI): Amid the escalating conflict in West Asia, Akasa Air on Wednesday stated that the airline will be operating a special flight from the UAE today to support the safe return of passengers and crew impacted by the prevailing situation there, while also running select services to and from Saudi Arabia.
In a statement, the Indian low-cost airline said flight QP 585 from Abu Dhabi to Mumbai will depart at 16:00 (local time or 17:30 IST).
In addition to the Abu Dhabi service, the airline will operate select flights connecting Saudi Arabia's Jeddah with Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Bengaluru on March 4 and March 5. On March 4, flights are scheduled between Mumbai and Jeddah and between Ahmedabad and Jeddah. On March 5, services will operate between Mumbai and Jeddah as well as between Bengaluru and Jeddah.
The airline clarified that the operation of these flights is based on its current safety assessment and may change subject to prevailing conditions. However, Akasa Air flights to and from Doha, Kuwait City and Riyadh will remain suspended until March 5.
The airline reiterated that the safety and well-being of passengers and crew remain its highest priority as tensions grow in the regions.
Meanwhile, Air Arabia stated that it has temporarily suspended its flights to and from the UAE until Monday, March 9, till 15:00 (UAE time).
The airline said a limited number of flights are operating in coordination with relevant authorities and are subject to operational and safety approvals. Passengers scheduled on operating flights will be notified directly, while others have been advised not to travel to the airport unless contacted by the airline.
This comes amid escalating tensions in West Asia after a joint US-Israel military strike on Saturday on Iranian territory resulted in the death of its Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other senior figures, prompting a fierce response from Tehran.
In retaliation, Iran launched waves of drone and missile attacks across multiple Arab countries as the conflict now entered its fifth day.
Tehran's counter-strikes have also targeted American military bases and Israeli assets throughout the region, with Israel also continuing its strikes on Tehran and widening it to Lebanon, targeting Hezbollah. (ANI)