The Middle East, a critical hub for global air travel, remains embroiled in a severe aviation crisis as escalating geopolitical tensions continue to disrupt civil aviation.
As of 28 June 2025, widespread airspace closures across Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Syria, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, and Kuwait have forced airlines worldwide to cancel or reroute thousands of flights, stranding passengers and straining air traffic control systems.
According to data from Flightradar24 and other aviation sources, the region’s skies, once bustling with commercial traffic, are now largely deserted, with carriers rerouting flights through congested alternative corridors.
Airspace Closures and Their Impact
The crisis intensified following Israeli military strikes on Iranian targets on 13 June 2025, prompting Iran, Iraq, Jordan, and Syria to close their airspaces entirely, while Israel restricted its airspace to outbound flights only.
This was followed by further closures on 23 June, when Iran launched a retaliatory missile strike on the US Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, leading Qatar, the UAE, Bahrain, and Kuwait to temporarily shut their airspaces. Although some countries, including Bahrain and Kuwait, have since reopened their skies, Qatar’s airspace remains partially restricted, and Iran, Iraq, Israel, and Syria continue to enforce full or partial closures.
Flightradar24 data illustrates the scale of disruption, showing “gaping holes” in air traffic over these nations, with commercial flights diverted to southern routes via Saudi Arabia and Egypt or northern corridors through Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Turkmenistan. Saudi Arabia has seen overflights double from 700 to 1,400 per day since 13 June, while Afghanistan’s airspace has experienced a near 500% increase in traffic, from 50 to 280 daily overflights. These reroutings have led to significant increases in flight times and fuel costs, exacerbating financial pressures on airlines already grappling with high fuel prices and labour shortages.
Airline Responses and Cancellations
Major airlines have responded swiftly to the crisis, prioritising passenger and crew safety. Emirates, Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways, Flydubai, and Air Arabia have suspended flights to and from affected regions, including Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, and Syria, with some suspensions extended until the end of June or beyond. Emirates cancelled flights to Amman, Beirut, Tehran, and Baghdad until 30 June, while Qatar Airways halted services to Damascus.
European carriers such as Lufthansa, Air France, KLM, British Airways, and Ryanair have also suspended flights to destinations like Tel Aviv, Tehran, and Amman, with some cancellations extending to August. Air India has halted all Middle East operations, impacting routes to Europe and North America, with several flights diverted or returned mid-flight. For instance, a Delta Air Lines flight from New York JFK to Tel Aviv turned back after eight hours in the air.
Israeli carriers, including El Al and Israir, have taken drastic measures, suspending operations and relocating aircraft to Cyprus and Greece to avoid potential retaliatory strikes. Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv remains effectively closed to commercial traffic, with only limited emergency flights permitted.
In response to passenger disruptions, airlines have issued flexible rebooking and refund policies. Qatar Airways, for example, is offering fee-free changes or refunds for travel until 15 July, while American Airlines, United Airlines, and Delta have issued waivers for flights to Doha, Dubai, and Tel Aviv through July and August. Qantas, affected by closures on its Australia-Europe routes, has offered fee-free refunds or rebooking for flights to Iraq, Lebanon, Israel, and Dubai until 31 July.
Rerouted Flight Paths and Safety Concerns
The closure of key Middle Eastern air corridors has forced airlines to adopt longer, costlier routes. Southern paths via Saudi Arabia and Egypt are now heavily congested, with air traffic control systems under strain. Northern routes over Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Turkmenistan are also seeing increased traffic, while some carriers have cautiously resumed overflights of Afghanistan, previously avoided due to security concerns.
Safety remains a paramount concern, with aviation risk consultancy Osprey Flight Solutions noting six unintentional shootdowns of commercial aircraft since 2001, including Malaysia Airlines MH17 in 2014 and Ukraine International Airlines PS752 in 2020. GPS jamming, prevalent near conflict zones, is further complicating navigation, with Flightradar24 reporting distortions in aircraft position data. Safe Airspace, operated by OPSGROUP, has warned of heightened risks from missile and drone activity, particularly in the Persian Gulf and Kashmir regions, urging operators to exercise extreme caution.
Economic and Operational Fallout
The aviation industry is reeling from the financial impact of these disruptions. Rerouted flights are increasing fuel burn and crew costs, while cancellations are leading to lost revenue. A potential spike in oil prices following US strikes on Iran could further inflate jet fuel costs, with airline stocks already taking a hit—British Airways’ parent company IAG fell 4.6%, and Delta Air Lines dropped 4%.
Air traffic control systems in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the UAE are struggling to manage the influx of rerouted traffic, raising concerns about potential midair collisions due to fatigued controllers and overcrowded airspace. Eurocontrol reported 1,800 affected European flights on 13 June alone, including 650 cancellations.
A Glimmer of Hope?
Despite the chaos, a tentative ceasefire between Iran and Israel, announced on 23 June, offers hope for de-escalation. Qatar and the UAE have partially resumed operations, with Dubai International Airport reporting 374 delays and 80 cancellations on 23 June but gradually returning to normal. However, aviation experts warn that full recovery could take weeks, particularly if hostilities resume or additional airspaces close.
Passengers are advised to check with airlines for real-time updates, as schedules remain fluid. The Middle East’s role as a vital aviation hub is under threat, and with global conflicts mounting, the industry faces an uncertain future. As one aviation analyst noted, “Airlines are doing everything to keep passengers safe, but the cost—both financial and operational—is immense.”
For now, the skies over the Middle East remain a complex patchwork of restricted zones and congested detours, a stark reminder of the region’s volatility and its far-reaching impact on global connectivity.
A Patchwork of Responses
The aviation sector has been profoundly disrupted, with airlines adopting a range of strategies to navigate the crisis. Below is an overview of the latest updates from major carriers:
- Emirates: The Dubai-based carrier has resumed most operations but suspended flights to Iran, Iraq, Jordan, and Lebanon until at least 30 June. An Emirates spokesperson shared, “After a thorough and careful risk assessment, Emirates will continue to operate flights as scheduled, using flight paths well distanced from conflict areas. Some flights may incur delays due to longer re-routings or airspace congestion, but Emirates’ teams are working hard to keep to schedule and minimise any disruption or inconvenience to our customers.”
- Qatar Airways: Following the temporary closure of Qatar’s airspace on 23 June, the airline grounded hundreds of flights, cancelling one Dublin roatation, stranding passengers at Doha’s Hamad International Airport. Operations have resumed, but significant delays persist. Qatar Airways shared, “Qatar Airways confirms reinstatement of flights as airspace reopens in the State of Qatar. Our focus at this time is to help our passengers return home or reach their onward journey safely and smoothly.” The airline has warned of “significant delays” through 26 June and offered fee-free changes or refunds for travel until 15 July.
- Etihad Airways: The Abu Dhabi-based carrier has suspended flights to Tel Aviv until 15 July and adjusted services to Amman and Beirut. Etihad shared, “This remains a highly dynamic situation, and further changes or disruption, including sudden airspace closures or operational impact, may occur at short notice. Etihad continues to monitor developments closely in coordination with the relevant authorities and is taking all necessary precautions.”
- Air India: After halting all Middle East, Europe, and US East Coast services on 23 June due to Qatar’s airspace closure, Air India began resuming operations on 24 June. An Air India spokesperson shared, “As airspaces gradually reopen in certain parts of the Middle East, Air India will progressively resume flights to the region starting today, with most operations to and from the Middle East resuming from June 25.” Flights to the US and Canada are expected to normalise soon, though some disruptions linger.
- Lufthansa: The German carrier has suspended flights to Tehran, Tel Aviv, Amman, Beirut, and Erbil until at least 31 July and is avoiding Iranian, Iraqi, and Israeli airspace. Lufthansa shared, “Due to the security situation in Israel and the closure of airspace, we are forced to cancel flights to and from Tel Aviv until further notice.”
- British Airways: The airline has cancelled flights to Doha and Dubai through 26 June, with services to Bahrain paused until the end of June. British Airways shared, “Safety is always our highest priority. We are contacting our customers to advise them of their options and will keep the situation under review.”
- El Al: Israel’s flag carrier moved its fleet to Cyprus to avoid potential Iranian retaliation and has resumed limited operations with “rescue flights” to repatriate stranded Israelis. El Al shared, “We would start servicing eight international destinations on Monday after getting the massive wave of requests to leave the country.”
- Middle East Airlines: Lebanon’s national carrier resumed flights from Beirut on 14 June after a brief airspace reopening. The airline shared, “Following the reopening of the Lebanese airspace to air traffic, Middle East Airlines – Air Liban announces the resumption of all its departing flights from Beirut that are scheduled after 1:00 PM today, Saturday, June 14, 2025.”
- Qantas: The Australian carrier diverted flights, including a Perth-Paris service that returned to Australia after 15 hours airborne. Qantas shared, “Qantas flights between Australia and Europe that are scheduled to depart on Tuesday, June 24 are operating as planned.” Fee-free refunds or changes are offered for travel to Iraq, Lebanon, or Israel until 31 July.
- Ryanair has suspended operations to and from Tel Aviv until September 30. Ryanair serves 22 destinations, Athens, Bari, Bergamo, Berlin, Bologna, Bucharest, Budapest, Chania, Charleroi, Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden, Kraków, Malta, Memmingen, Naples, Paphos, Poznań, Rome–Fiumicino, Sofia, Thessaloniki, Treviso, Turin, Vienna and Vilnius.
Rerouting
The closure of key Middle Eastern airspaces has forced airlines to reroute flights, primarily via two alternative corridors:
- Northern Route: Via Turkey, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, or the Caspian Sea, adding 2–8 hours to flight times depending on the route (e.g., Europe to Asia or North America).
- Southern Route: Via Egypt and Saudi Arabia, adding 1–4 hours to journeys, particularly for Gulf-Europe or Gulf-Asia flights.
