- EASA extended Middle East airspace warnings until 16 November 2026.
- EU operators should avoid Iran, Iraq, Lebanon and Jordan airspace.
- Over-water warning covers Persian Gulf and western Gulf of Oman.
- Flights must use inland corridors over Saudi Arabia adding 30 to 90 minutes.
- Wizz Air cancelled Middle East routes for winter 2026/2027.
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency has extended its airspace restrictions and conflict-zone warnings for the Middle East and Gulf region until 16 November 2026. The extension follows updated risk assessments regarding geopolitical tensions, missile and drone threats and air-defence misidentification risks. The restrictions cover high-risk airspace requiring full avoidance and medium-risk airspace requiring caution.
EU operators are advised to completely avoid the airspace of Iran, Iraq, Lebanon and Jordan across all flight levels. The over-water airspace warning covering the Persian Gulf and western Gulf of Oman has also been extended. Commercial flights are permitted to arrive at and depart from regional hubs such as Dubai and Doha but planes must use inland corridors over Saudi Arabia or northerly tracks rather than transiting over the water.
The restrictions add 30 to 90 minutes to flight times. Long-haul flights between Europe and Asia face cascading delays and extended flight paths. Wizz Air has cancelled all routes to Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Amman for the winter 2026/2027 season. Singapore Airlines and Scoot have pushed Middle East cancellations through December.
