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Airlines weigh Middle East cancellations after US strikes in Iran strand thousands
The Middle East route has become more important for flights between Europe and Asia since Russian and Ukrainian airspace closed due to war, but flight tracking website FlightRadar24 showed empty space over Iran, Iraq, Syria and Israel.
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Reuters - Sun, 22, Jun 2025
- 23:50 EDT
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Aircraft belonging to Israel's state carrier El Al and Israir among other airlines, are parked at Larnaca International Airport, in Larnaca, Cyprus June 16, 2025. / REUTERS/Yiannis Kourtoglou
Commercial airlines around the world on June 23 were weighing how long to suspend Middle East flights after the U.S. struck Iran.
Singapore Airlines, one of the highest-profile in Asia, had called the situation "fluid" on June 22 as it cancelled flights from Singapore to Dubai following a security assessment.
The Middle East route has become more important for flights between Europe and Asia since Russian and Ukrainian airspace closed due to war, but flight tracking website FlightRadar24 showed empty space over Iran, Iraq, Syria and Israel.
Air France KLM said on June 22 that it cancelled flights to and from Dubai and Riyadh on June 22 and 23. British Airways, owned by IAG ICAG.L, also cancelled flights to and from Dubai and Doha for June 23. It was still reviewing the situation, it said in a statement on June 23 evening, when asked about later flights.
Missile and drone barrages in a growing number of conflict zones represent a high risk to airline traffic, and an organization that monitors flight risks, Safe Airspace, a website run by OPSGROUP, warned on June 22 that U.S. attacks on Iran’s nuclear sites could heighten the threat to American operators in the region.
In the days before the U.S. strikes, American Airlines suspended flights to Qatar and United Airlines did the same with flights to Dubai.
Airlines are also concerned about a potential spike in oil prices following the U.S. attacks, which will increase the cost of jet fuel.
Israel meanwhile is ramping up flights to help stranded travellers at home and abroad. The country's Airports Authority says that so-called rescue flights to the country would expand on June 23 with 24 a day, although each flight would be limited to 50 passengers. Israeli airline El Al on June 23 said it had received applications to leave the country from about 25,000 people in about a day.
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