A wave of flight cancellations and diversions swept across the Middle East after Israeli attacks on Iranian sites triggered widespread airspace closures and heightened safety concerns for airlines globally. The latest escalation of conflict in the region has plunged air travel into disarray impacting thousands of flights.
Following Israel’s strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, ballistic missile factories, and military installations, carriers were forced to reroute or suspend operations, citing safety protocols and the closure of key airspaces. Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport was shut down, and air defense units were on high alert, leading to huge disruptions for airlines.
El Al Airlines, Air France KLM, Ryanair, Wizz, and Delta Air Lines were among the carriers that either canceled or suspended flights to and from Israel. Wizz announced the re-routing of flights affected by the airspace closures for the next 72 hours, while Israeli airlines were repositioning their aircraft.
FlightRadar data vividly illustrated the impact, showing empty airspace over Iran, Iraq, and Jordan, with flights being diverted towards Saudi Arabia and Egypt. Eurocontrol reported that approximately 1,800 flights to and from Europe had been affected, including around 650 cancellations.
The Middle East’s importance as a crucial route for international flights between Europe and Asia, particularly given the ongoing closure of Russian and Ukrainian airspace due to the war, further amplified the disruption’s impact.
The escalating conflict sent airline stocks tumbling. British Airways owner IAG saw its shares drop 4.6 per cent, with Delta Air Lines and Ryanair also experiencing significant declines, news agency Reuters reported. The attacks also fueled concerns about jet fuel prices, adding to the financial pressures faced by airlines.
Many global airlines were already grappling with challenges, having halted flights to and from Tel Aviv after a missile fired by Yemen’s Houthi rebels landed near the airport earlier this month.
Several major airlines, including Air India, Lufthansa, Emirates, and Qatar Airways, were forced to reroute or cancel flights. Air India diverted or returned several flights, while Lufthansa suspended flights to Tehran and avoided Iranian, Iraqi, and Israeli airspace. Emirates and Qatar Airways also cancelled flights to specific destinations within the affected region.
The closure of airspace by Iraq and Jordan further compounded the issue. Russia’s civil aviation authority, Rosaviatsia, instructed Russian airlines to avoid Iranian, Iraqi, Israeli, and Jordanian airspace until June 26, causing further disruption to international travel. FlyDubai cancelled numerous flights to Dubai from various Russian airports
