Major carriers halt Middle East services as strikes force 145 diversions

Airlines across the globe have suspended routes, cancelled services and rerouted planes after strikes by the United States and Israel on targets inside Iran triggered widespread airspace closures and airport disruptions. Data from Flightradar24 showed at least 145 flights in the Middle East diverted to 73 destinations, a seismic shift for hubs that normally handle vast transit flows between Europe and Asia.

Civil and commercial airspace over Iran was closed and, according to Flightradar24, closures extended to Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar. Major Gulf hubs quickly felt the effect: Doha and Dubai temporarily halted arrivals and departures, and Dubai International was closed to arrivals and departures shortly before 12:00 GMT. Airlines operating from those hubs moved to suspend services and reroute aircraft as a precaution.

The Flightradar24 snapshot pulled at 9:30 a.m. EST showed 63 diversions originating from Doha, 47 from Dubai International, 16 from Abu Dhabi, 16 from Sharjah and three from Bahrain. Muscat was the single most common diversion airport, receiving 17 flights, followed by Istanbul and Karachi, with 11 each. Analysts caution that those figures are an early tally and that more diversions and cancellations are likely as carriers and regulators update routing in real time.

Individual carriers announced a range of measures. Lufthansa Group suspended flights to Israel, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and Tehran and said it would reroute other services; the carrier set its suspension window through March 7. British Airways cancelled services to Tel Aviv and Bahrain until midweek and adjusted other Middle East connections. Qatar Airways and Emirates both confirmed temporary suspensions at their Doha and Dubai hubs. Air India said it was suspending Middle East services for the day, and low-cost operator Wizz Air paused flights to and from Israel, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Amman through next Saturday. United Airlines introduced travel waivers for affected customers.

Passengers at major airports faced immediate disruption. Departure boards at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion showed multiple cancellations, and photographs from Beirut’s Rafik Hariri airport displayed lists of grounded flights. Long queues formed at New Delhi as travellers sought rebooking and refunds, and the UK Foreign Office instructed British nationals in Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates to shelter in place amid reports of explosions and air-raid sirens in Doha. Heathrow urged customers to check directly with their airlines for updates.

Carriers emphasised safety and customer service as they adjusted operations. Emirates said, “We apologise to customers affected by disruptions for any inconvenience caused, and we are assisting them with rebooking, refunds, or alternative travel arrangements. The safety and security of our passengers and crew remain our highest priority.” Other airlines enacted similar rebooking and waiver policies while repositioning crews and aircraft.

The Middle East’s centrality to Europe-Asia routes has amplified the disruption because many carriers remain unable to use Russian and Ukrainian airspace. Observers note that this interruption ranks among the most severe regional aviation shocks since the COVID-19 pandemic, compounding pressure on already congested hubs and frustrated travellers.

Authorities and carriers warned that the situation remains fluid. Passengers with travel plans to, from or through the region should check their airline’s live updates and expect further schedule changes as civil aviation authorities and operators respond to shifting security assessments.