Middle East conflict impacts on global air travel
Global air travel is severely disrupted as airlines extend flight cancellations due to escalating Middle East conflict, with Aegean Airlines, Air Baltic, and Air Canada announcing further suspensions to destinations including Tel Aviv and Beirut as of March 10, 2026. British Airways has canceled all flights to and from Tel Aviv until August 31, 2026, due to security concerns. As of March 10, 2026, Air France KLM has extended cancellations through March 13 for Tel Aviv and Beirut, and until March 12 for Dubai and Riyadh, while Lufthansa Group has extended its suspension of flights to Tel Aviv until April 2. Six major Middle Eastern airlines, including Emirates and Qatar Airways, have canceled 23,810 flights over a ten-day period amid heightened regional tensions. Since February 28, 2026, over 32,500 flights have been canceled out of 58,500 scheduled services across the region.
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71 updatesGlobal air travel is severely disrupted as airlines extend flight cancellations due to escalating Middle East conflict. Aegean Airlines, Air Baltic, and Air Canada have announced further suspensions to destinations including Tel Aviv and Beirut, with Air France KLM extending cancellations through March 13 for Tel Aviv and Beirut, and until March 12 for Dubai and Riyadh.
British Airways has extended flight cancellations to Amman, Bahrain, Doha, Dubai, and Tel Aviv until March 28, with Abu Dhabi flights suspended longer. Air France has extended its suspensions to Tel Aviv and Beirut until at least March 13, and KLM has extended its cancellations to Tel Aviv, Dubai, Riyadh, and Dammam until March 10 due to ongoing security concerns and airspace restrictions.
British Airways has canceled all flights to and from Tel Aviv until August 31, 2026, due to security concerns. Additionally, six major Middle Eastern airlines, including Emirates and Qatar Airways, have canceled 23,810 flights over a ten-day period amid heightened regional tensions and conflict involving Iran. These cancellations have significantly disrupted air travel.
Air France and Lufthansa Group have extended flight suspensions to multiple Middle Eastern destinations due to escalating regional conflict and airspace restrictions. Air France flights to Tel Aviv and Beirut are cancelled until at least March 13, while services to Dubai and Riyadh are grounded until March 12. Lufthansa Group has extended its suspension of flights to Tel Aviv until April 2. Additionally, El Al, Emirates, and FlyDubai have reported 66 cancellations and 107 delays, stranding hundreds of passengers.
Lufthansa Group has extended flight suspensions to multiple Middle Eastern destinations until March 15, with specific dates for Tel Aviv, Beirut, and Tehran. British Airways has canceled flights to Tel Aviv and Amman through March 9 and March 7 respectively, while Air France has suspended flights to Dubai and Riyadh until March 12. Lufthansa also abruptly canceled a scheduled flight to Riyadh, diverting the aircraft to Cairo due to the unstable security situation.
Turkish Airlines has suspended flights to Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan until March 13 due to heightened security risks. Oman Air has also cancelled multiple flights to destinations including Amman, Dubai, and Doha amid ongoing regional airspace closures and safety concerns. These new suspensions add to existing cancellations by Lufthansa and KLM, impacting global air travel.
Lufthansa Group has extended its suspension of flights to multiple Middle Eastern destinations due to escalating security concerns and regional airspace restrictions. Flights to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Dammam, Amman, and Erbil are suspended until March 15, while Tel Aviv flights are suspended until April 2, Beirut until March 28, and Tehran until April 30. The airline group is continuously monitoring the situation.
Several Middle Eastern airlines, including Etihad Airways, Emirates, flydubai, and Air Arabia, have begun to resume limited commercial operations following airspace reopenings. The U.S. State Department has issued Level 3 "Reconsider Travel" advisories for Cyprus, Saudi Arabia, and Oman due to escalating regional conflict. KLM has extended its flight suspension to Dubai, Riyadh, and Dammam until March 10, and to Tel Aviv and Beirut until March 13.
Europe's aviation safety regulator, EASA, has issued a high-risk warning for much of the Middle East and Persian Gulf airspace due to the ongoing conflict, leading to widespread rerouting and cancellations. Since February 28, 2026, over 32,500 flights have been canceled out of 58,500 scheduled services across the region.
via omanobserver.om
Indian carriers cancelled 279 international flights on Sunday, March 9, 2026, due to airspace disruptions amid the Middle East conflict. The Civil Aviation Ministry is closely monitoring flight operations and ticket prices to prevent fare surges. Airlines are planning special and additional flights from the Gulf region to repatriate stranded passengers.
Multiple airlines have extended flight suspensions and cancellations due to ongoing Middle East conflict and airspace closures. Air France has cancelled flights to Dubai and Riyadh until March 10 and suspended flights to Tel Aviv and Beirut until March 11. Qatar Airways and Oman Air have also suspended operations with updates expected, while Indian airlines canceled 279 international flights on March 8.
Lufthansa Group airlines have extended flight suspensions to various Middle Eastern destinations, with services to Tehran now suspended until April 30, 2026, and Tel Aviv until March 22, 2026. Additionally, Indian airlines cancelled 279 international flights on March 8 due to the ongoing crisis and resulting airspace restrictions.
KLM has canceled flights to and from Tel Aviv, Dubai, Riyadh, and Dammam through March 10, 2026, and is avoiding the airspace of Iran, Iraq, Israel, and several Gulf countries. The U.S. Department of State has advised citizens to depart the region due to serious safety risks. Repatriation flights are being operated in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for stranded travelers.
Qatar Airways expects to resume flight operations on March 7 as Middle Eastern airspace restrictions ease, while Oman Air has cancelled flights until March 8. A Lufthansa flight from Munich to Riyadh was diverted to Cairo due to safety concerns and airport closure. Ben Gurion International Airport plans to resume departing flights on March 8 with limited operations.
Airlines including Qatar Airways and Oman Air are resuming limited flights as Middle Eastern airspace restrictions begin to ease following recent strikes. Lufthansa is also aiming to gradually restart operations, while British Airways is operating daily repatriation flights. These developments signal a partial return to normal air travel after widespread cancellations due to regional instability.
Qatar Airways suspended flight operations due to airspace closure, with an update expected March 7. Air France cancelled flights to Dubai and Riyadh until March 6 and suspended flights to Tel Aviv and Beirut until March 8. Wizz Air has suspended flights to Israel, the UAE, and Jordan until March 15, citing worsening security in Iran and regional tensions. Lufthansa diverted a flight to Cairo due to safety concerns and temporary airport closure.
Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) cancelled 104 flights to Middle Eastern destinations on March 6, 2026, bringing the weekly total to 1,130 cancellations. Authorities cited security concerns amid escalating regional instability as the reason for the disruptions affecting major cities like Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad.
Emirates has resumed flights to 82 destinations, and Etihad Airways has restarted limited operations to 25 destinations until March 19, amidst ongoing Middle East tensions. While many airlines continue to cancel or suspend services, these resumptions indicate a partial return to operations.
Lufthansa has extended flight suspensions to Dubai and Abu Dhabi through March 10 and to Tehran until May 1, 2026, due to the Middle East situation. Indian carriers canceled 281 international flights on March 6, though Air India and Air India Express have resumed services to Jeddah and Muscat. British Airways has cancelled flights to several Middle Eastern destinations up to March 15, 2026, citing ongoing security risks.
KLM has cancelled all flights to and from Tel Aviv, Dubai, Riyadh, and Dammam through March 5, 2026, due to the security situation in the Middle East and is avoiding airspace over Iran, Iraq, and Israel. British Airways has extended its cancellation of flights to and from Israel until at least July 31, 2025, and August 2025, citing security concerns following a missile strike at Ben Gurion Airport and US military action against Iran.
British Airways has cancelled all flights to and from Tel Aviv until at least August 1, citing security concerns. Lufthansa has extended its suspension of flights to Dubai and Abu Dhabi through Tuesday, and services to Tehran are not expected to resume until May 1. These extended cancellations reflect ongoing regional security situations and airspace disruptions.
Cathay Pacific has halted services to Dubai and Riyadh until March 14, while Wizz Air has suspended flights to Israel, the UAE, and Jordan through March 7. Gulf Air has temporarily suspended all flights due to regional airspace closures, and Air India has also suspended services.
Air France has cancelled flights to Dubai and Riyadh until Friday and suspended flights to Tel Aviv and Beirut until March 8. Lufthansa has extended flight suspensions to Dubai and Abu Dhabi until Friday, and to Tel Aviv, Beirut, Amman, Erbil, and Tehran until March 8. British Airways remains unable to operate flights from Abu Dhabi, Amman, Bahrain, Doha, Dubai, and Tel Aviv, with Oman being used as a key departure point.
via visahq.com
KLM has canceled all flights to and from Tel Aviv, Dubai, Riyadh, and Dammam through March 5, 2026, due to the security situation. Lufthansa has extended flight suspensions to Dubai and Abu Dhabi until March 5, and to Tel Aviv until March 22, with Tehran flights suspended until May 1. Ben Gurion International Airport confirmed 104 flight cancellations and 1 delay on March 5 due to airspace restrictions.
Qatar Airways has suspended flight operations due to airspace closures, with services expected to resume once the airspace is declared safe. Lufthansa has extended flight suspensions to Dubai and Abu Dhabi through March 8, and to Tehran until May 1. Emirates cancelled its DXB–AKL flight scheduled for March 5.
via LBC Group·visahq.com
Lufthansa has extended its flight suspensions to Tel Aviv until March 22 and to Dubai and Abu Dhabi until March 10. United Airlines has cancelled flights to Tel Aviv and Dubai until March 11, while Finnair has cancelled flights to Doha and Dubai until March 29. British Airways stated it remains unable to operate flights from Abu Dhabi, Amman, Bahrain, Doha, Dubai, and Tel Aviv, with additional flights from Muscat to London fully booked.
Airlines are extending flight suspensions and resuming limited services in the Middle East following military actions. KLM has extended cancellations to March 9, while Wizz Air has extended its suspensions to Israel, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Amman until March 15. Virgin Atlantic has resumed flights to Dubai and Riyadh, and Qatar Airways expects updates on March 4 regarding its operations.
via aerospaceglobal.news·Business Traveller·Business Traveller
Indian carriers began resuming limited commercial services to parts of the Middle East on March 3, 2026, to repatriate stranded passengers. British Airways has canceled flights to Amman, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Dubai, Doha, and Tel Aviv up to and including March 5, while Cathay Pacific canceled all flights to and from Dubai and Riyadh through March 14.
Air France has extended its suspension of flights to Tel Aviv, Beirut, Dubai, and Riyadh until March 5, 2026, due to the security situation. Lufthansa Group airlines have suspended flights to Amman, Erbil, Dammam, and Tehran until March 8, 2026, and will avoid specific airspaces, while flights to and from Dubai are suspended until March 4. Indian carriers Air India and IndiGo also extended flight suspensions on March 2, impacting Middle Eastern and European routes.
Etihad Airways plans to resume a limited number of flights on March 4, while American Airlines and United Airlines have also canceled flights to various Middle Eastern destinations due to regional unrest. These disruptions follow a joint attack by Israel and the U.S. on Iran, leading to widespread flight cancellations and airspace closures across the region.
Recent military actions by the United States and Israel against Iran have led to significant disruptions in Middle Eastern airspace, resulting in the cancellation of at least 2,000 flights as of March 2, 2026. Air France has extended its suspension of flights to Tel Aviv, Beirut, Dubai, and Riyadh through March 3, 2026, due to fresh security warnings. British Airways has cancelled flights to the Gulf, Israel, and Jordan until March 15, while Air India cancelled all flights to Middle East destinations.
via Binance Square·VisaHQ
Emirates and flydubai have suspended all flights to and from Dubai until March 3, 2026. Qatar Airways and Etihad Airways have also temporarily suspended flights to and from their respective hubs, with no confirmed restart times but extensions reported through March 3rd. Lufthansa Group airlines have extended suspensions to multiple Middle Eastern destinations until March 8th.
Airlines are continuing to cancel flights across the Middle East on March 2, 2026, marking the third day of widespread disruptions. Lufthansa has extended its flight suspensions through March 8, while British Airways has cancelled flights to the Gulf until the end of Tuesday. On Sunday, March 1, 3,156 flights were cancelled, following 2,800 cancellations on Saturday.
Airlines including IndiGo, Akasa Air, Air France, and KLM have suspended or extended flight cancellations to and from Middle Eastern destinations due to escalating regional tensions and airspace closures. IndiGo extended its suspension until March 7, while Air France cancelled flights to Tel Aviv, Beirut, Dubai, and Riyadh through March 3. KLM warned of disruptions through March 6.
KLM has canceled all flights to and from Tel Aviv, Dubai, Riyadh, and Dammam through March 5, 2026, due to the security situation. British Airways and Virgin Atlantic have also grounded services from London to the Middle East, with all flights in and out of Dubai's airports suspended.
Over 2,000 flights to the Middle East were canceled on March 1, 2026, a significant increase from the previous day, due to airspace closures stemming from the conflict between Israel, Iran, and the USA. Major airlines including Emirates, Qatar Airways, and Etihad Airways suspended operations until at least March 2, while Israeli carrier El Al canceled flights through March 4.
Lufthansa has extended its airspace closure over several Middle Eastern countries, including Israel, Lebanon, and Iran, until March 8, and Air Canada has suspended flights to Dubai and Tel Aviv until March 3 and March 8, respectively. Dubai Airports has also suspended all operations at DXB and DWC until further notice due to escalating regional conflict.
Lufthansa Group has suspended all flight operations to several Middle Eastern destinations until at least March 8, 2026, and will avoid using UAE airspace until March 4 due to the ongoing security situation. These extensions follow coordinated strikes by the United States and Israel targeting sites in Iran, leading to widespread airspace closures and significant travel chaos.
India's civil aviation agency has designated much of the Middle East as a high-security risk zone, leading Air India to cancel all flights to the region. Turkish Airlines has suspended flights to several countries including Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Iran, and Jordan, with further suspensions to Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, the UAE, and Oman. US-based Delta Air Lines has also suspended flights.
via bbc.com
Hundreds of thousands of travelers are stranded or diverted as Israel, Qatar, Syria, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, and Bahrain have closed their airspace following escalating military tensions. This has led to the closure of major hub airports in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Doha, and the cancellation of over 1,000 flights by Middle Eastern airlines. Lufthansa Group airlines are suspending flights to multiple Middle Eastern destinations and will not use several regional airspaces until March 7.
British Airways has canceled flights to Tel Aviv and Bahrain until March 3, and also canceled its service to Amman. An overnight flight from London Heathrow to Doha was forced to turn around mid-air and return to London due to escalating security concerns in the Middle East. These actions follow broader suspensions by other European airlines amid rising US-Iran tensions.
The U.S. and Israel's attack on Iran on February 28, 2026, triggered widespread commercial flight disruptions across the Middle East and beyond. Regional airspaces, including those of Israel, Qatar, Syria, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, and Bahrain, were closed, leading to hundreds of flight cancellations and stranded travelers. Major airlines like Lufthansa, Air France, KLM, Air Canada, and British Airways suspended flights to multiple destinations.
Lufthansa and Air France have joined KLM in suspending flights to the Middle East due to escalating US-Iran tensions. The US has also withdrawn non-essential personnel and their families from its embassy in Lebanon. Governments worldwide are issuing travel warnings and advising citizens to leave Iran, Lebanon, and Israel.
British Airways has extended its suspension of flights to and from Tel Aviv until at least August 31, 2026, citing security concerns. This follows a previous suspension after a Houthi missile attack near Ben Gurion International Airport. Additionally, Greek airline Aegean and US carrier Delta have resumed flights to Tel Aviv this week.
via Times of Israel
KLM will temporarily suspend its daily flights between Amsterdam and Tel Aviv starting March 1, 2026, citing rising security tensions in the Middle East and operational considerations. The airline stated that operating flights to Tel Aviv is not commercially and operationally feasible at this time.
Several countries, including Australia, Serbia, Poland, and Sweden, have issued new travel advisories for the Middle East on February 25, 2026, due to escalating tensions between the US and Iran. Australia advised diplomats' dependents to leave Israel and Lebanon and offered voluntary departures from the UAE, Jordan, and Qatar, while Serbia and Poland urged their citizens to leave Iran immediately.
British Airways has announced the suspension of all flights to and from Israel until at least August 1, 2026, due to ongoing regional instability and security concerns. This decision follows a recent missile strike by Houthi forces near Ben Gurion Airport.
via Arab News·Israel National News·The Times of Israel·The Jewish Chronicle·Al-Monitor
Airlines including Lufthansa Group, Austrian Airlines, and Air India suspended or rerouted flights to the Middle East in January 2026 due to escalating US-Iran tensions and security concerns. Lufthansa Group suspended overnight flights to Tel Aviv and Amman, restricted other Middle East operations to daytime only, and canceled flights to Tehran until March 28. Air India canceled flights to the US due to Iranian airspace closure.
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines has resumed flights to parts of the Middle East, including Tel Aviv and Dubai, with adjusted schedules, effective February 1 for Dubai and February 2 for Tel Aviv.
via jpost.com
Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) issued a travel advisory for the Middle East, warning of unpredictable security risks and potential global travel disruptions. The advisory highlights possible flight delays and cancellations due to rising tensions.
via karryon.com.au
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines has announced the cancellation of its flights to Israel until further notice, reversing its previous plan to resume services to Tel Aviv due to the current security situation.
Air France issued a formal clarification, stating it never suspended services to Israel or Saudi Arabia, though it did make temporary operational adjustments for limited services to Dubai.
Finnair, Wizz Air, IndiGo Airlines, and Singapore Airlines have joined other major carriers in avoiding Middle Eastern airspace due to heightened tensions.
via ch-aviation.com
Swiss International Air Lines has made operational changes to its Middle East services due to ongoing security concerns.
via travelpulse.com
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has issued a recommendation advising against using Iranian airspace due to escalating tensions.
IndiGo has cancelled flights to Tbilisi, Almaty, Tashkent, and Baku for January 26-28, while Israeli airlines El Al, Arkia, and Israir have adjusted their ticket cancellation policies. Lufthansa has cancelled services to Tehran until March 29 and maintains limited daytime operations to Tel Aviv and Amman until the end of the month.
British Airways, Austrian Airlines, and Indian carrier IndiGo have joined other airlines in rerouting or suspending services over Iranian airspace or to Gulf hubs due to heightened tensions. KLM has also specified that some flight suspensions to Middle Eastern cities are indefinite, while others are until January 26.
Air France denied widespread reports of cancelling all its Middle East flights, clarifying it only cancelled two nighttime departures to Dubai initially. Additionally, several North American airlines have begun rerouting or suspending services over Iranian airspace or to Gulf hubs.
via visahq.com·pyok.com
Dutch budget carrier Transavia has cancelled all flights to Dubai and suspended operations over Persian Gulf airspace due to geopolitical tensions in the region.
Lufthansa and Swiss International Air Lines have suspended operations to Tel Aviv. KLM will avoid flying over large parts of the Middle East until further notice.
via republicworld.com·asiaone.com·khaama.com·turkiyeturkey.com
Air France resumed its service to Dubai on January 24 after suspending it due to regional tensions.
via whtc.com
Italy's national airline, ITA Airways, has temporarily suspended its overnight flights to Israel through Tuesday due to heightened security tensions in the Middle East. This follows similar actions by other major European carriers.
via ynetnews.com
Air France and KLM have temporarily suspended services to additional Middle East destinations including Dubai, Dammam, and Riyadh, and will avoid Iraqi, Iranian, and Israeli airspace. Air Canada and United Airways have also canceled flights to Tel Aviv.
via timesofindia.indiatimes.com·thenationalnews.com·simpleflying.com·nationthailand.com
KLM has canceled flights to Israel through Sunday, as well as flights to Dubai and Saudi Arabia. The EU aviation regulator recommended on January 16 that its airlines avoid Iran's airspace.
Major European airlines, including Air France, British Airways, and KLM, announced further suspensions and halts of flights to Israel, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, citing a rapid deterioration in security conditions. Israeli media reported that Israel cleared its national airspace of all civilian aircraft as a precautionary measure.
via aljazeera.com·arabnews.com·aa.com.tr·newarab.com·vinnews.com
Lufthansa confirmed the cancellation of all passenger and cargo flights to and from Tehran until March 29, 2026. Austrian Airlines also extended its suspension of Tehran flights. Lufthansa stated it would continue to avoid Iranian and most Iraqi airspace and reschedule overnight services to Tel Aviv and Amman to daytime departures to mitigate drone warfare risks.
via aljazeera.com·arabnews.com·aa.com.tr·newarab.com·vinnews.com
A fresh wave of flight cancellations hit UAE hubs, affecting routes to Europe, the Levant, and South Asia, due to airspace restrictions and regional tensions. Emirates, Etihad, and flydubai were among the airlines cancelling or consolidating services.
via aljazeera.com·arabnews.com·aa.com.tr·newarab.com·vinnews.com
Iran temporarily closed its airspace to most flights due to concerns about potential military actions between the U.S. and Iran.
via bworldonline.com
Lufthansa announced on January 14 that it would no longer fly over Iranian and Iraqi airspace, in addition to suspending night flights to Israel and Jordan until the end of the month.
Amid renewed US threats against Iran and ongoing anti-government protests in Iran, several airlines including Lufthansa, Air France, KLM, and Swiss cancelled flights to the Middle East, including Israel, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia. British Airways also paused flights to Bahrain.
via aljazeera.com·arabnews.com·aa.com.tr·newarab.com·vinnews.com
Flydubai and Turkish Airlines have suspended flights to Tehran, Shiraz, and Mashhad due to protests in Iran.
via weareiowa.com
2025
4 updates
2025
4 updatesQatar temporarily shut its airspace after Iranian attacks on the Al Udeid airbase in Qatar. Qatar Airways, Emirates, FlyDubai, Etihad Airways, and SalamAir announced temporary suspensions or cancellations of flights to Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Israel. Some international airlines, including Singapore Airlines and British Airways, began resuming some services to Dubai and Doha.
via aljazeera.com·arabnews.com·aa.com.tr·newarab.com·vinnews.com
Following US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, British Airways, Singapore Airlines, and Air France cancelled flights to Dubai, Doha, and Riyadh. Flight tracking showed airlines avoiding airspace over Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Israel.
via aljazeera.com·arabnews.com·aa.com.tr·newarab.com·vinnews.com
Israel launched a wave of attacks on Iran, leading to immediate heightened tensions in the region.
via aljazeera.com·arabnews.com·aa.com.tr·newarab.com·vinnews.com
Ryanair has cancelled all flights to and from Tel Aviv until 31 July. ITA Airways will extend the suspension of flights to and from Tel Aviv until the end of the year.
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