Global airlines have suspended or reduced flights in the Middle East as the conflict between Israel and Iran rages after the United States bombed three Iranian nuclear enrichment sites on the weekend.
The US carried out strikes against Iranian nuclear sites overnight Saturday to Sunday after over a week of deadly missile exchanges between Israel and Iran.
Here is the latest airline situation:
European Airlines
British Airways cancelled flights between London's Heathrow Airport and Dubai and Doha on Sunday following the US strikes on Iran. The airline said Monday it was scheduled to operate those routes as normal, though there were some cancellations ahead of a clutch of evening flights.
Air France halted flights to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates until at least Tuesday inclusive, the airline said. It also extended the suspension of the Paris-Tel Aviv route until July 14. Flights of Air France's low-cost carrier Transavia from Paris to Beirut have been suspended until June 30 while the Tel Aviv route is closed until September 7.
Germany's Lufthansa Group, whose other airlines include Swiss, Austrian and ITA, has suspended flights to the Middle East until June 30.
The Amman and Erbil, Iraq, routes were also suspended until July 11.
The group will not fly to Tel Aviv or Tehran until July 31 and is also avoiding the airspace of countries involved in the conflict.
Greece's Aegean Airlines has stopped Tel Aviv flights until July 12. Its Amman, Beirut and Erbil routes are closed until June 28.
Turkish airline Pegasus has scrapped flights to Iraq, Jordan and Lebanon until June 30, and Iran until July 30.
No Turkish Airlines flights to Baghdad, Damascus and Tehran are available before July 1.
Finnair, meanwhile, confirmed it was suspending flights to Doha. The carrier is also staying out of the airspace of Iran, Iraq, Syria and Israel.
Middle Eastern Airlines
Dubai's major airline, Emirates, announced it was suspending flights to Iran (Tehran) and Iraq (Baghdad and Basra) “until Monday, June 30, 2025, inclusive,” but stated that “all other destinations are operating as scheduled.”
The Dubai-based low-cost carrier FlyDubai also suspended flights to Iran, Iraq, Israel, Syria, and Saint Petersburg, Russia, until June 30.
Kuwait said it was closing its airspace "until further notice" after a similar move from Bahrain as Iran attacked a US base in Qatar in retaliation for American strikes in Iran.
"In the interest of the country's security and safety, and in light of the precautionary measures taken in a number of neighboring countries, which include the closure of their airports and airspace, the State of Kuwait announces the temporary closure of its airspace as a precautionary measure, effective today until further notice," the Kuwaiti Directorate General of Civil Aviation said in a statement.
Bahrain suspended air traffic temporarily after Iran attacked a US base in neighboring Qatar in retaliation for American strikes on its nuclear facilities.
"The Civil Aviation Affairs of the Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications announced the temporary suspension of air navigation in the skies of the Kingdom of Bahrain as a precautionary measure in light of recent regional developments," said a statement carried by the official Bahrain News Agency.
Qatar, home to the largest U.S. base in the Middle East, announced the closure of its airspace after Iran threatened to retaliate following U.S. strikes on its nuclear facilities.
“The competent authorities announce the temporary suspension of air traffic in the country’s airspace as part of precautionary measures in response to regional developments,” Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
Oman Air, meanwhile, suspended flights to and from Amman until Tuesday.
US and Canadian Airlines
United Airlines has warned passengers that flights to and from Dubai scheduled between June 18 and July 3 may be affected and is offering no-fee ticket changes under certain conditions due to Middle East unrest.
The US airline has implemented the same flexibility for Tel Aviv flights between June 13 and August 1, allowing customers to rebook for other major European cities.
Air Canada has temporarily suspended its daily non-stop service from Toronto to Dubai starting June 18 and warned the suspension could be extended.
Travel via a European stopover on a partner airline remains possible, according to its website.
American Airlines is allowing customers to change their bookings to Doha without fees for travel originally scheduled between June 19 and July 20.
Asian Airlines
Singapore Airlines has cancelled eight flights to Dubai, two per day from Sunday through Wednesday.
AFP
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