Major Gulf hubs Dubai Abu Dhabi and Doha remain operational but with impacts from rerouting and cancellations amid the latest escalation of violence in the Middle East.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has implemented a temporary partial closure of its airspace. This was announced by the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) as an exceptional precautionary measure to ensure flight and crew safety, protect UAE territory, and respond to rapidly evolving regional security developments.
Qatar, Kuwait, and Bahrain are restricting airspace, though details vary, Gulf airports are generally operating, but with fluidity and potential delays.
The decision follows a risk assessment and coordination with national/international authorities. UAE airspace is not fully closed, but restrictions are in place, leading to disruptions.
Airlines like flydubai (a UAE-based carrier) have canceled or disrupted flights to Iran and Israel, and are adjusting schedules.
Passengers should contact airlines directly for updates, as airlines are providing assistance and rebooking where needed.
Several countries have imposed full or significant closures due to the conflict:
- Iran: Airspace fully closed (at least temporarily, e.g., for several hours in some reports), with civilian flights halted and aircraft emptying from the FIR (Tehran OIIX).
- Israel: Airspace closed to civilian flights (all canceled at Ben Gurion and other airports), with exceptions possibly requiring prior permission. This follows the strikes and alerts for potential retaliation.
- Iraq: Airspace fully closed/suspended for all traffic following the strikes, impacting inbound/outbound flights and leading to halts at airports like Baghdad and Erbil.
- Broader impacts: These closures (primarily Iran, Iraq, Israel) are forcing rerouting of international flights (e.g., Europe-Asia routes via Gulf hubs), overcrowding alternative corridors, and causing diversions/cancellations by carriers like Air India, IndiGo, Wizz Air, Air Astana, and others. Some airlines have suspended Middle East services entirely for the day or longer.
Other areas (e.g., Jordan, Lebanon) may see cautionary restrictions or spillover effects, but primary full closures are in the above countries. The situation remains highly fluid and evolving rapidly—military operations could extend, and further changes are possible.
For real-time flight tracking and official updates, refer to sources like Flightradar24, airline notifications, or aviation authorities (e.g., GCAA for UAE). Travel to/from affected areas is heavily disrupted, with safety as the top priority for all decisions.
