Airlines Cancel Hundreds of Flights as Middle East Conflict Escalates

Major airlines worldwide suspended service to Middle Eastern destinations following U.S.-Israeli military strikes against Iran that killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Airspace closures across Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Israel, Bahrain, UAE and Qatar have left flight tracking maps virtually empty. Flight cancellations are expected to continue through early March as the regional conflict unfolds.

Airlines around the globe continued suspending Middle Eastern routes on Sunday following military strikes by the United States and Israel against Iran that resulted in the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, triggering a fresh regional crisis.

Flight tracking data from Flightradar24 revealed nearly empty skies across Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Israel, Bahrain, the UAE and Qatar, while ongoing military operations forced major aviation hubs including Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha to either close completely or operate under severe limitations.

Here’s how individual carriers are responding to the crisis, organized by airline:

AEGEAN AIRLINES: Greece’s flagship carrier halted service to Tel Aviv, Israel; Beirut, Lebanon; and Erbil, Iraq through March 2.

AIR ASTANA: The airline group suspended all Middle Eastern routes until March 3.

AIR CANADA: Canadian flights to Israel remain grounded through March 8, while Dubai service is cancelled until March 3.

AIR EUROPA: Spain’s Air Europa scrapped Tel Aviv flights for Sunday and Monday, with Tuesday operations under review.

AIR FRANCE KLM: Air France eliminated Saturday flights to Tel Aviv and Beirut. KLM’s Dutch operations cancelled weekend service to Dubai, Dammam and Riyadh, while moving up the suspension of Amsterdam-Tel Aviv routes to Saturday.

AIR INDIA: The carrier scrapped Sunday departures from Delhi, Mumbai and Amritsar to London, New York, Chicago, Toronto, Frankfurt and Paris, plus additional European destinations including Birmingham, Amsterdam, Zurich, Milan, Vienna and Copenhagen.

AZERBAIJAN AIRLINES: Service to Dubai, Doha, Jeddah and Tel Aviv remains suspended.

BRITISH AIRWAYS: The IAG subsidiary cancelled Tel Aviv and Bahrain flights through March 3, along with Saturday’s Amman service.

CATHAY PACIFIC: Hong Kong’s Cathay Group suspended regional operations affecting Dubai and Riyadh passenger flights, plus cargo service at Dubai’s Al Maktoum airport.

EMIRATES: Dubai’s flagship carrier halted all operations until 3 p.m. UAE time on March 2 due to widespread airspace restrictions.

ETIHAD: UAE’s Etihad suspended Abu Dhabi departures until 2 p.m. local time Sunday.

FLYDUBAI: The budget carrier temporarily grounded all Dubai flights until 3 p.m. local time Sunday.

IBERIA EXPRESS: The Spanish subsidiary cancelled Saturday’s 5 p.m. Tel Aviv departure.

INDIGO: India’s largest airline extended suspension of select international routes using Middle Eastern airspace through Monday.

ITA AIRWAYS: Italy’s carrier suspended Tel Aviv service and banned use of Israeli, Lebanese, Jordanian, Iraqi and Iranian airspace until March 7, while Dubai flights remain cancelled through March 1.

JAPAN AIRLINES: Saturday’s Tokyo Haneda-Doha flight and Sunday’s return service were cancelled, according to Nikkei reports.

LOT POLISH AIRLINES: Tel Aviv service remains suspended until March 15, with Dubai and Riyadh flights cancelled through March 2.

LUFTHANSA: Germany’s flag carrier suspended Tel Aviv, Beirut and Oman routes until March 7, cancelled weekend Dubai flights, and banned use of Israeli, Lebanese, Jordanian, Iraqi and Iranian airspace through March 7.

NORWEGIAN AIR: The Nordic carrier suspended Dubai service through March 4, though Tel Aviv and Beirut routes remain unaffected as they operate only during summer months.

PEGASUS AIRLINES: Turkish carrier cancelled flights to Iran, Iraq, Jordan and Lebanon through March 2.

QATAR AIRWAYS: All flights remain suspended due to Qatari airspace closure, with updates expected by 9 a.m. local time Monday.

SCANDINAVIAN AIRLINES: Saturday’s Copenhagen-Tel Aviv flight was cancelled, with future dates under review.

TURKISH AIRLINES: Saturday flights to Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, UAE and Oman were cancelled, along with service to Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Iran and Jordan through March 2.

VIRGIN ATLANTIC: The British carrier is avoiding Iraqi airspace, causing flight rerouting, and cancelled Saturday’s London Heathrow-Dubai service.

WIZZ AIR: Hungary’s budget airline immediately suspended flights to Israel, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Amman through March 7, with ongoing schedule reviews as conditions change.