Airlines in the Gulf adjust routes after Iran’s attack on Israel

Published: 2 October 2024

Several airlines operating in the Gulf have adjusted their flight routes to ensure passenger safety following Iran’s attack on Israel.

Neighboring countries have closed their airspace and airline crews are navigating alternative routes to avoid the escalating conflict.

Etihad Airways

Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Airways said it is rerouting several flights on Wednesday due to airspace restrictions in parts of the Middle East. Etihad said it is continuously monitoring security and airspace updates as the situation evolves.

Emirates Airlines

Emirates canceled all flights to and from Iraq (Basra and Baghdad), Iran, and Jordan on Oct. 2 and 3. The airline is closely monitoring the situation in the region and is in contact with relevant authorities regarding any developments.

Qatar Airways

Qatar Airways temporarily suspended flights to and from Iraq and Iran due to airspace closures.

Flydubai

Flydubai canceled flights to Jordan, Iraq, Israel, and Iran on Oct. 2 and 3 due to the temporary closure of airspace, according to a statement provided to Reuters.

Kuwait Airways

Kuwait Airways said on Tuesday it had adjusted the flight routes for some of its services, resulting in changes to destination timings.

“This is in application of necessary security measures and to ensure the safety of passengers,” the airline said.

A spokesperson for tracking service FlightRadar24 said flights diverted “anywhere they could,” and a snapshot of traffic in the region showed flights spreading in wide arcs to the north and south, with many converging on Cairo and Istanbul.

FlightRadar24 said Istanbul and Antalya in southern Turkiye were becoming congested, forcing some airlines to divert south.

Iran launched the strikes in retaliation for Israel’s campaign against Tehran’s Hezbollah allies in Lebanon, and Israel vowed a “painful response” against its enemy.

Eurocontrol, a pan-European air traffic control agency, earlier sent a warning to pilots about the escalating conflict.

“A major missile attack has been launched against Israel in the last few minutes. At present the entire country is under a missile warning,” it said in an urgent navigation bulletin.

Shortly afterwards it announced the closure of Jordanian and Iraqi airspace as well as the closure of a key crossing point into airspace controlled by Cyprus.

An Iraqi pilot bulletin said its Baghdad-controlled airspace was “closed due to security until further notice.”

Iraq’s transport ministry later announced the reopening of Iraqi airspace to incoming and outgoing civilian flights at Iraqi airports. FlightRadar24 said on X that “it will be a while before flights are active there again.”

Jordan also reopened its airspace after closing it following the volley of Iranian missiles fired toward Israel, the Jordanian state news agency reported.

Lebanon’s airspace will be closed to air traffic for a two-hour period on Tuesday, Transport Minister Ali Hamie said on X.

The latest disruptions are expected to deal a further blow to an industry already facing a host of restrictions due to conflicts between Israel and Hamas, and Russia and Ukraine.