NEW DELHI, July 23 (Xinhua) -- The Indian government on Thursday said the ongoing U.S.-Iran conflict has severely disrupted the country's international aviation sector, affecting around 26,000 flights until July 20.
The situation, according to the government, has inflicted significant revenue losses on the Indian carriers in view of higher operating costs because of rerouting and prolonged flight durations.
The information was provided by the federal junior aviation minister Murlidhar Mohol in the lower house of the Indian parliament.
The minister said the country's civil aviation watchdog -- the Directorate General of Civil Aviation has issued multiple advisories to address and ensure the safety of passengers, crew, and aircraft evolving from the risks arising from the conflict in the Middle East.
The minister said the government has taken several measures to support the aviation sector and help keep air travel affordable.
To minimize passenger disruption, the government said it established a round-the-clock passenger assistance control room for real-time coordination, directed airlines to facilitate refunds and rescheduling, strengthened airport help desks and worked with the foreign ministry to assist affected Indian nationals transiting through the Middle East. ■