Global airlines cancelled flights across the Middle East on Saturday after the United States and Israel launched coordinated strikes on Iran, plunging the region into a new phase of conflict.
Airspace over Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Israel and Bahrain was virtually empty, according to maps published by flight-tracking service Flightradar24. The sudden suspension of air traffic underscored the severity of the military escalation and the immediate impact on civilian aviation.
The European Union’s aviation safety regulator, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency, advised European carriers to avoid flying through airspace affected by the intervention, citing heightened security risks. Several international airlines rerouted aircraft or grounded services to and from major regional hubs as a precaution.
Airlines typically suspend operations in conflict zones due to the risk of missile strikes, air defense activity, or accidental targeting. The near-total absence of commercial aircraft over key parts of the Gulf and eastern Mediterranean reflected both regulatory warnings and carriers’ own risk assessments.
The disruption is expected to cause widespread delays, longer flight times on alternative routes, and significant financial losses for airlines already navigating geopolitical instability in the region.
Source: Reuters
Airspace over Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Israel and Bahrain was virtually empty, according to maps published by flight-tracking service Flightradar24. The sudden suspension of air traffic underscored the severity of the military escalation and the immediate impact on civilian aviation.
The European Union’s aviation safety regulator, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency, advised European carriers to avoid flying through airspace affected by the intervention, citing heightened security risks. Several international airlines rerouted aircraft or grounded services to and from major regional hubs as a precaution.
Airlines typically suspend operations in conflict zones due to the risk of missile strikes, air defense activity, or accidental targeting. The near-total absence of commercial aircraft over key parts of the Gulf and eastern Mediterranean reflected both regulatory warnings and carriers’ own risk assessments.
The disruption is expected to cause widespread delays, longer flight times on alternative routes, and significant financial losses for airlines already navigating geopolitical instability in the region.
Source: Reuters