119 Passengers Stranded In Kochi As Flight To Bahrain Cancelled At Last Minute
An emergency message from the control room stated that Kuwait's airspace had been abruptly closed, resulting in the cancellation of the flight.
Published : June 3, 2026 at 7:16 PM IST
Kochi: A total of 119 passengers were stranded at the Kochi International Airport after an Air India Express service to Bahrain was cancelled following the emergency closure of Kuwait's airspace.
Flight number IX 439, which was scheduled to operate from Kochi to Bahrain, was called off at the very last minute. The flight was scheduled to depart from Kochi to Bahrain on Wednesday at 11.45 AM.
Accordingly, passengers, including expatriate Keralites, had arrived early at the airport and completed all security checks, including boarding. However, an emergency message from the control room stated that Kuwait's airspace had been abruptly closed, forcing authorities to cancel the service immediately. Subsequently, all 119 passengers who were ready to board were offloaded at the airport. The unexpected disruption led to tense and anxious moments at the airport for hours.
Following this, the Customs and Immigration departments intervened to cancel the passengers' immigration clearance and return their luggage. The passengers were then escorted out of the airport and sent back home.
The sudden closure of the airspace is attributed to the escalation of military conflict between Iran and other neighbouring countries in the Middle East.
As per media reports, missile and drone attacks on Wednesday targeted certain strategic locations and residential areas in Bahrain, which were successfully intercepted and neutralised by the Bahrain Defence Force.
The Civil Aviation authorities imposed the temporary ban on flight services keeping safety and security in mind. Hundreds of non-resident Keralites (NRKs), who were planning to return to their workplaces after the Eid and summer holidays, have been pushed into severe distress by this emergency decision.
Passengers are deeply concerned as many face the expiration of their visas and situations that could potentially impact their employment. The Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) authorities have informed that Air India Express will issue a clear notification later regarding alternative travel arrangements or full refunds of the ticket amount for the passengers of the cancelled flight.
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