Air India Express cancelled flight IX 439 from Kochi to Bahrain on Wednesday morning after Kuwait closed its airspace [1].
The sudden closure disrupts critical travel corridors between India and the Gulf, affecting thousands of passengers and forcing airlines to reroute or suspend operations.
The decision to shut the airspace followed an armed attack on Kuwait International Airport [2]. Because of the security threat, aviation authorities in Kuwait halted all air traffic to ensure the safety of aircraft and passengers [3].
Flight IX 439, scheduled to depart from Kochi, was among the services cancelled on June 3, 2026 [1]. Other Indian flights destined for Kuwait were either suspended or forced to return mid-flight [2].
Currently, two Indian airlines operate flights to Kuwait: Air India Express and IndiGo [2]. Both carriers have had to adjust their schedules as the security situation at the Kuwaiti airport remains volatile [3].
Airline officials said the closures were necessary due to the emergency nature of the attack [2]. Passengers at Kochi International Airport were notified of the cancellations as the airspace shutdown took effect across the region [1].
Authorities have not yet provided a timeline for when the airspace will reopen for commercial traffic [3].
“Air India Express cancelled flight IX 439 from Kochi to Bahrain”
The closure of Kuwaiti airspace creates a significant logistical bottleneck for Indian carriers, as Kuwait serves as a primary transit point for flights heading to several Gulf destinations. The suspension of services by major operators like Air India Express and IndiGo highlights the fragility of regional aviation safety when faced with targeted infrastructure attacks.
