Following missile attacks on Israel by Iran, rising tensions in the Middle East have disrupted flight operations for airlines worldwide, leading to cancellations.
According to a report by the foreign news agency Reuters, the flight tracking service FlightRadar24 noted that international airlines redirected or canceled their flights on Wednesday due to the escalating tensions, with regional airports in Lebanon, Israel, and Kuwait experiencing significant delays.
The report also indicated that shares in the travel and airline sectors have declined as the conflict intensifies.
FlightRadar24 reported that very few aircraft were seen crossing Iranian airspace on Wednesday morning.
Meanwhile, airlines throughout the region have either redirected their flights or are taking alternative routes to avoid specific airspaces due to the heightened tensions.
Polish flag carrier LOT stated that all its aircraft, particularly those heading to India, are avoiding Iranian airspace indefinitely.
The European Aviation Safety Regulator (EASA) issued warnings to all airlines at the end of September to refrain from using Israeli and Lebanese airspace, but has yet to issue similar advisories for Iranian airspace.
As tensions rise, airlines worldwide have canceled flights to Israel and Lebanon, with several airlines indicating they may not resume flight operations until mid-October due to security concerns.
British Airways and Air France-KLM announced that cancellations of their flights to Tel Aviv would remain in effect until early next week.
In Turkey, flights from Istanbul and Antalya, as well as from Cairo in Egypt, are significantly increasing as flights avoid certain sections of Middle Eastern airspace.
According to airline trackers, 85% of flights departing from Dubai International Airport have faced delays, while 67% of flights arriving at Kuwait Airport have been delayed, and 60% of flights at Beirut International Airport have been canceled.
This latest escalation in the Middle East is expected to further complicate matters for airlines, which are already struggling due to the impact of Israel’s attacks on Gaza and Russia’s war against Ukraine.
