IndiGo Flight To Manchester Makes Mid-Air U-Turn, Returns To Delhi Amid West Asia Crisis

IndiGo said it is now coordinating with relevant authorities and aviation regulators to assess when the journey can safely resume. The airline is also working to assist affected passengers.

In a statement, IndiGo confirmed that the return was caused by last-minute restrictions imposed on certain airspace corridors in the region.

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Passengers on board an IndiGo flight bound for Manchester experienced an unexpected disruption after the aircraft was forced to return to Delhi midway through its journey due to sudden airspace restrictions over West Asia. Flight 6E 033 had taken off from Delhi on March 9 and was en route to the United Kingdom when the crew was informed that parts of the region’s airspace had been closed. With no alternative corridor available at short notice, the pilot decided to turn the aircraft around and return to its point of origin.

Mid-Air Disruption

The flight had departed from Delhi as scheduled with passengers heading to Manchester when the situation changed suddenly during the journey. Airspace across parts of West Asia was reportedly closed at short notice amid escalating regional tensions, leaving the crew with limited options.

IndiGo flight 6E33 (operated by Norse) made a U-turn on the border between Ethiopia and Eritrea and is returning to Delhi.
This was the first IndiGo Delhi - Manchester flight since the 26th of Feb. pic.twitter.com/McCeAUd2tS

— Flightradar24 (@flightradar24) March 9, 2026

As a result, the aircraft was forced to abandon the route and make a return journey to Delhi. Aviation tracking data showed the aircraft turning back mid-route before continuing its journey back to the Indian capital.

Passengers on board were informed of the situation as the airline worked to manage the unexpected disruption.

Airline Response

In a statement, IndiGo confirmed that the return was caused by last-minute restrictions imposed on certain airspace corridors in the region.

“Our flight 6E 033 operating from Delhi to Manchester had to return to its origin due to last-minute airspace restrictions, owing to the ongoing situation in West Asia,” the airline said.

The carrier added that many of its flights operating between India and Europe have already been taking longer routes to avoid sensitive areas in the Middle East because of the current geopolitical situation. However, in the case of flight 6E 033, the restriction was imposed unexpectedly while the aircraft was already en route.

IndiGo said it is now coordinating with relevant authorities and aviation regulators to assess when the journey can safely resume. The airline is also working to assist affected passengers and provide updates regarding the next steps for the disrupted flight.