The Middle East war has caused severe disruption in global aviation, with over 23,000 cancelled flights and millions of lost seats. Airlines face mounting operational and financial challenges as the US-Israel conflict with Iran continues.
Airlines suspend or modify routes
Major carriers have suspended flights to and from key Middle Eastern hubs. Emirates has extended its suspension to the end of Saturday, while Qatar Airways continues its halt until Friday. Cirium data shows that more than half of the 36,000 flights planned since 28 February have been cancelled, translating to around 4.4 million lost seats.
Passengers in the Gulf region face limited options and high costs as they seek alternative routes to operational airports in Saudi Arabia and Oman. The United Arab Emirates has attempted to create safe air corridors allowing up to 48 flights per hour.
Airline-specific adjustments
Air India adds flights between Delhi and Toronto, Frankfurt, and Paris, routing some via Jeddah.
Air France-KLM suspends flights to Dubai, Riyadh, Tel Aviv, and Beirut until early March.
British Airways cancels flights to Abu Dhabi, Amman, Bahrain, Doha, Dubai, and Tel Aviv, adding emergency flights to Muscat.
Cathay Pacific and China Southern suspend several Gulf routes, with China Southern reporting over 77,000 Chinese travellers cancelling trips to the UAE.
Delta Air Lines halts New York–Tel Aviv flights until 22 March.
Etihad, Finnair, IndiGo, Korean Air, Lufthansa, Malaysia Airlines, Oman Air, Qantas, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, SpiceJet, and Virgin Atlantic have all adjusted routes or cancelled flights to affected areas.
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin ordered evacuation flights from the Middle East, with Aeroflot planning two repatriation flights from the UAE. Over 7,000 passengers will travel via domestic and foreign airlines.
Global aviation impact
Airlines continue to reroute flights and operate limited evacuation services, but travellers face uncertainty and congestion. The disruption highlights the vulnerability of global aviation to geopolitical crises, particularly in regions hosting key air hubs.
Also read: Larnaca flight cancellations hit 45 on Thursday
For more videos and updates, check out our YouTube channel
