Global Flights Grounded After US-Israel Strikes on Iran
Airlines Suspend Middle East Services Amid Airspace Closures
- Multiple Middle East nations shut airspace after strikes
- Major global airlines suspend or reroute flights
- Hundreds of services cancelled; thousands stranded
- Carriers cite safety reviews amid escalating tensions
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 1st March: Coordinated military strikes by the United States and Israel on Iran have triggered widespread disruption in global aviation, with airlines across continents cancelling services, rerouting aircraft and suspending operations as multiple Middle Eastern nations shut their airspace.
The offensive, which reportedly killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, prompted retaliatory missile and drone attacks from Tehran, escalating fears of a broader regional conflict.
India’s flag carrier Air India announced an immediate suspension of all flights to Middle Eastern destinations, citing passenger and crew safety. Low-cost carrier IndiGo said its operations to and from the Middle East and select international sectors would remain suspended until March 1, 2026.
In the Gulf, Emirates temporarily halted operations to and from Dubai due to multiple regional airspace closures. Qatar Airways suspended services following the closure of Qatari airspace, stating flights would resume once authorities declare conditions safe.
European carriers also moved swiftly. Aegean Airlines cancelled flights to Tel Aviv, Beirut, Erbil and Baghdad until March 3, and to Dubai and Abu Dhabi until March 1. Lufthansa suspended flights to Tel Aviv, Beirut, Amman, Erbil and Tehran until March 7, and confirmed it would avoid airspace over Israel, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Qatar and Iran.
British Airways halted services to Tel Aviv and Bahrain until next week, while cancelling flights to Amman. Air France scrapped flights to and from Tel Aviv and Beirut. KLM warned of disruptions on services to Dubai, Riyadh and Dammam through March 3. Virgin Atlantic said it was avoiding Iraqi airspace and reviewing routes.
US carriers also reacted. Delta Air Lines issued a travel advisory for Tel Aviv between February 28 and March 5. United Airlines suspended flights to Tel Aviv at least through the weekend, while American Airlines halted its Philadelphia–Doha service.
According to aviation analytics firm Cirium, nearly half of all scheduled flights to Qatar and Israel were cancelled following the strikes, along with 28 per cent of services to Kuwait. Overall, almost a quarter of flights to the Middle East were scrapped. For Sunday alone, 716 out of 4,329 scheduled departures to the region were cancelled.
Airlines said further operational decisions would depend on evolving security assessments. With airspace across key corridors closed and reroutings lengthening flight times, the crisis has left thousands of passengers stranded as the aviation industry braces for prolonged instability in the region.
