IndiGo flight from UK diverted to Cairo, 300+ flyers stranded for over 8 hours

An IndiGo flight operating from London to Mumbai was diverted to Cairo in Egypt due to airspace restrictions, leaving more than 300 passengers—all Indians-- onboard as the aircraft remained at the airport for several hours.

The flight, 6E2, departed from London’s Heathrow Airport at 9.33 pm UTC on March 8 (3.03 am IST on March 9), according to data from flight tracking website Flightradar24. Instead of continuing towards India, the aircraft altered its route mid-journey and eventually landed in Cairo after changing course over the Red Sea.

Flight path data shows the aircraft initially travelled southeast across Europe and entered Egyptian airspace before continuing further towards the Red Sea. It then made a U-turn over the Red Sea and headed north towards Cairo, landing at around 6.21 am UTC ((11.51 am IST).

Several users on social media platform X raised concerns about the flight’s status. One user asked the airline for an update, saying the aircraft had departed London but had not reached Mumbai and was showing its location at Cairo International Airport.

Responding to the query, IndiGo said the flight was diverted due to restrictions in the region’s airspace.

“Hi, we understand your concern. Please be informed that the flight was diverted to Cairo due to airspace restrictions. Feel free to reach out to us for any further assistance,” the airline said in a reply on X.

Another user said their family members were onboard the aircraft and sought clarification from the airline, asking why the plane was in Cairo.

The diversion comes amid wider disruptions to international flight operations due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, which has led to airspace closures and route restrictions.

Earlier today, another IndiGo flight from Delhi to Manchester was forced to return to the national capital after facing restrictions while attempting to enter Eritrean airspace.

IndiGo has said that due to the evolving situation in and around the Middle East, some flights may take longer routes or face diversions, depending on airspace availability and safety assessments.

Recent data from airports in India also shows the scale of the disruption. On March 7, at least 100 international flights were cancelled at Delhi and Mumbai airports, as airlines adjusted operations due to the evolving security situation in the region.

Airlines have been forced to modify routes or avoid certain airspaces entirely. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has barred aircraft registered with it from using specific Middle Eastern airspaces, including Saudi Arabia, affecting some long-haul routes between India and Europe.

Because of these restrictions, airlines such as IndiGo have begun taking longer routes through parts of Africa when operating flights to European destinations.

- Ends