NEW DELHI: Air India’s Delhi-Kyiv, that took off at 7:50 am on Thursday, has been asked to return to India as a notice to airmen (NOTAM) has been issued restricting civilian flight movement in Kyiv airspace due to military activity in the region.
The airline and the government were evaluating whether it will be safe for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner to continue to Ukraine since morning after Russia announced military action on Ukraine. The aircraft had entered Iranian airspace from Pakistan when the crew were asked to return to Delhi.
This was the second of the three Delhi-Kyiv-Delhi flights that were to operate this week to fly back Indians from Ukraine. But those plans were made before Russia on Thursday announced the military action in Ukraine.
AI had operated a Delhi-Kyiv-Delhi flight on Tuesday. Even that had to make a series on last-minute route changes while entering Kyiv airspace from over the Black Sea and then during approach to the Boryspil International Airport, due to military activity in the region.
