Air travel across the Middle East and beyond was thrown into disarray following the joint U.S.-Israeli strike on Iran, as countries across the region swiftly moved to close their airspace and airlines scrambled to adjust operations.
The United Arab Emirates, home to long-haul giants Emirates and Etihad, shut its airspace on Saturday, while Israel took similar measures. Qatar Airways Group announced the temporary suspension of flights to and from Doha after Qatari authorities also closed their airspace.
Aircraft already en route to Israel were diverted to alternative airports, and passengers waiting at Ben Gurion International Airport were transported away from the terminals as a precaution.
Emirates confirmed that several of its services were impacted by the UAE’s airspace closure and advised travelers to monitor their flight status online. The Dubai-based carrier operates from Dubai International Airport, the world’s busiest hub for international passenger traffic.
In Europe, Dutch carrier KLM had earlier said it would suspend flights to and from Tel Aviv starting Sunday, citing security concerns.
Virgin Atlantic canceled its scheduled flight from London’s Heathrow Airport to Dubai and announced it would avoid Iraqi airspace. The rerouting could slightly extend travel times on services to and from India, the Maldives, Dubai and Riyadh. The airline had already been steering clear of Iranian airspace and said its aircraft would carry additional fuel to accommodate potential last-minute diversions.
Meanwhile, Turkish Airlines said it would suspend flights to Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Iran and Jordan until Monday. Services to Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Oman were halted on Saturday, with the carrier warning that further cancellations could follow depending on developments.
