United Airlines has suspended its daily flight between Mumbai and Newark, citing “current events” in Iran.
Here’s how United describes its decision to its employees:
Given current events in Iran, we have conducted a thorough safety and security review of our India service through Iranian airspace and decided to suspend our service between EWR and BOM (Mumbai) beginning Thursday evening.
- Flight 48 (EWR-BOM) has been canceled.
- Customers flying on board Flight 9239 (BOM-EWR) will be rebooked on alternative flights back to the United States. Customers traveling on these flights will experience extended flight times due to a change in our normal flight path.
We are contacting our customers to provide this update and assist those who may need rebooking options.
We continue to explore all our options and remain in close contact with relevant government authorities in order to provide our customers with the most efficient travel experience under these circumstances.
Notice how open-ended this suspension is. As the only U.S. carrier which currently serves the Indian subcontinent, I have to imagine this decision was not made lightly.
Hours after United voluntarily suspended its service to India, a new FAA mandate would have compelled it anyway:
The Federal Aviation Administration has issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) prohibiting U.S.-registered aircraft from operating over the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman. The NOTAM warns pilots that flights are not permitted in the overwater area of the Tehran Flight Information Region until further notice, due to heightened military activities and increased political tensions that might place commercial flights at risk. The NOTAM applies to all U.S. air carriers and commercial operators.
So far, we have not seen other governments (like Canada, Great Britain, or any EU government) match this restriction.
A Frenzied Region
You might recall United’s New Delhi flight has already been suspended for more than two months due to the ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan. The Gulf blockade against Qatar Airways (for its support of Iran) has also impacted air travel in the region.
> Read More: United Airlines Extends New Delhi Service Cancellation
> Read More: More Route Suspensions + Statement from Qatar Airways
CONCLUSION
As we await and see whether tensions will escalate or deescalate following the downing of a U.S. drone by Iran, we certainly see already the impact it is having on commercial aviation.
Interesting choice of words: ‘Given current events in Iran…….’. I thought US claimed the thing was flying in international airspace?
Anyway I would guess if anyone was flying a massive drone back and forth just off the coast of Virginia that the thing would got shot down as well so I can’t really see the problem here.
I am on UA48 on June 26. They were not willing to let me switch to Lufthansa an hour ago but I HUCA. The next agent was more helpful and switched me to Lufthansa. I’m Plat on UA.
How long this suspension will continue?
PMI, what do you mean “i Huca”. We were scheduled to fly on June 27 to Mumbai. Did united reschedule you?
Huca means hang up and call again.
Have been trying to get through to United over the phone and have been on hold for over 45 minutes. Las night and today so am unable to get through. Have a flight for the 28th and need to try to rebook through another airline.
But the flight path is nowhere near Hormuz, it skirts northern border of Iran. Couldn’t they just adjust the flight path? Wondering if something else is going on, maybe the BOM and DEL routes are not profitable enough.
I have flight BOM to EWR on 31 Aug 2019, and I receive an email saying that we are canceling flight between BOM – EWR and we may get all refund because of Iraq tension.
Please let me know where can I apply for a Refund.
You can call United reservations at +1.800.United1