Middle East air travel hit hard as airlines avoid region after US strikes on Iran
Air travel across the Middle East has been severely affected following the United States' airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities on Sunday.
Air travel across the Middle East has been severely affected following the United States’ airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities on Sunday. Heightened security risks have led to massive disruptions, forcing airlines to reroute or cancel flights altogether.
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Airlines Avoid Iranian, Iraqi, and Syrian Airspace
Due to growing tensions and safety concerns, major commercial airlines have begun avoiding airspace over Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Israel. Flight tracking service FlightRadar24 confirmed that airlines are choosing longer, safer paths over areas like the Caspian Sea, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia, resulting in extended flight durations and increased fuel consumption.
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Operational Costs Soar Due to Rerouting
The longer flight paths are driving up operational costs for airlines, as they burn more fuel and deal with scheduling challenges. FlightRadar24 stated on platform X, “Following the U.S. strikes, commercial flights continue to avoid high-risk zones, adhering to airspace restrictions introduced last week.”
Safe Airspace Issues High-Risk Warnings
Aviation risk-monitoring group Safe Airspace warned that American airlines flying near the region could be at higher risk, especially if Iran retaliates. While no direct threats to civilian aircraft have been reported, there are fears that Iran or its allies, like Hezbollah, could escalate the situation further.
Gulf Nations May Face Spillover Threats
Safe Airspace also cautioned that countries such as Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates could be impacted. Airlines have been advised to exercise extreme caution and avoid high-risk areas whenever possible.
Israeli Airlines Suspend Flights Until June 27
El Al, Arkia, and Israir, Israel’s major carriers, have halted all rescue and commercial flights. El Al announced a suspension of regular services until at least June 27. Israeli airspace remains closed, although land borders with Jordan and Egypt are open for evacuation efforts.
40,000 Tourists Stranded in Israel
An estimated 40,000 foreign tourists are currently stranded in Israel, many attempting to cross into Jordan by land or reach Cyprus by sea. Israel’s Tourism Ministry is actively coordinating evacuation plans, and several countries have already begun extracting their nationals.
