Global air travel has been thrown into chaos as escalating conflict in Iran forces the closure of major Middle Eastern aviation hubs, including Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi, leaving tens of thousands of passengers stranded.
Airlines across Europe, Asia and North America have announced sweeping cancellations and suspensions, with routes to key destinations such as Tel Aviv, Beirut and Amman heavily impacted.
Among the hardest hit, Air France and KLM suspended multiple Middle East routes, while Delta Air Lines halted flights between New York and Tel Aviv and delayed the restart of its Atlanta service until August.
Middle Eastern carriers including Emirates and Etihad Airways have scaled back operations, running limited schedules following partial airspace reopenings.
Asia based airlines such as Cathay Pacific and Japan Airlines have also suspended flights to major Gulf destinations, citing safety concerns and restricted airspace.
European operators including Lufthansa Group, British Airways and Finnair have cancelled or postponed services across the region, avoiding airspace over Iran, Iraq, Syria and Israel.
Low cost and regional carriers such as Wizz Air, Pegasus Airlines and Flynas have extended suspensions on multiple Middle Eastern routes, some stretching into September.
Meanwhile, Qatar Airways confirmed that its operations remain temporarily suspended due to the closure of Qatari airspace, with only a limited number of flights expected to resume in the coming days.
The widespread disruption highlights the strategic importance of the region as a global aviation crossroads, with closures rippling across international travel networks and forcing airlines to reroute or cancel flights on an unprecedented scale.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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