Gulf Countries Close Airspace After Iran Strikes US Bases

Countries in the Persian Gulf shut down their airspace, forcing some of the world’s biggest airlines to halt operations after Iran targeted US bases across the peninsula in retaliatory strikes.

By AFP
By AFP

Countries in the Persian Gulf shut down their airspace, forcing some of the world’s biggest airlines to halt operations after Iran targeted US bases across the peninsula in retaliatory strikes.

Emirates, the world’s largest international airline, suspended all flight operations to and from Dubai, citing “multiple regional airspace closures.” The Qatari civil aviation authority said that the airspace over the country has been temporarily closed, effectively halting operations of Qatar Airways, among the biggest international carriers.

Read more: US and Israel launch an attack on Iran with tensions high over nuclear talks

All Emirates flights are canceled till 3 am on Sunday, according to the airline’s hub, Dubai International Airport. The disruption for such a large part of the airspace over the Gulf is unprecedented and has resulted in the cancellation of hundreds of flights in some of the world’s most active airports.

The United Arab Emirates and Kuwait, which were among the countries targeted, also closed their airspaces in reaction to missile attacks from Iran. The majority of international airlines have canceled flights to the Gulf and carriers in India have also cut back their services.

The expanding armed conflict in one of the world’s busiest air-traffic regions has upended flight patterns for some of the biggest airlines on a scale not seen before. The Middle East sits at the crossroads of an important flight artery connecting east-west traffic, and countries including Iraq, Oman and Bahrain swiftly closed their airspace after Israel and the US launched their campaign on Saturday.

Read more: Israel declares nationwide emergency after strikes on Tehran

Europe’s EASA aviation regulator issued a so-called Conflict Zone Information Bulletin, warning airlines to take extreme caution in the region amid the military intervention and retaliatory actions. Aircraft should “not operate within the affected airspace at all flight levels and altitudes,” EASA said in the bulletin.

“Given the current and expected developments, there is thus a high risk to civil aviation in the affected airspace,” EASA said.

Among global carriers that have suspended flights into the region are Turkish Airlines, Deutsche Lufthansa AG, Virgin Atlantic and India’s main carriers, including Indigo and Air India. Some airlines were forced to abort flights mid-air, including an Emirates A380 superjumbo that was en route to San Francisco and turned back to its Dubai base.

British Airways said it has taken “the operational decision to cancel our flights to Tel Aviv and Bahrain up to and including 03 March” and also canceled today’s flight to Amman in Jordan.

Israel’s ministry of transport said the country closed its airspace and asked citizens to stay away from airports. The Iranian government also shut down its airspace following the attacks.

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