The global aviation sector experienced widespread disruption on Friday following Israel’s military strikes on Iran, prompting mass airspace closures and rerouting of thousands of flights. The escalating tensions led multiple countries in the Middle East, including Iran, Israel, Jordan, Iraq, and Syria, to shut their airspace, leaving major corridors devoid of commercial traffic and triggering a ripple effect across international airline operations.
According to Flightradar24, airspace over Iran, Israel, Jordan, Syria, and Iraq emptied of commercial flights, with traffic diverted south over Saudi Arabia and Egypt, or north via Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Turkmenistan. The closure of Iranian airspace until further notice has severely impacted east-west travel routes, particularly those linking Europe and Asia.
As per Iran’s civil aviation authority, all domestic and international flights were suspended, with Tehran’s Mehrabad Airport expected to remain closed until 2 p.m. on Saturday. In Israel, Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv was shut indefinitely, while Jordan’s Queen Alia International Airport also ceased operations, though no reopening timeline has been provided.
The impact was immediate and widespread. According to Eurocontrol, approximately 1,800 flights across Europe were affected on Friday, with about 650 cancellations. Hermes, the operator of Cyprus’ airports, said 32 flights from the Middle East were diverted to Larnaca and Paphos airports.
Air India, which uses Iranian airspace for its Europe and North America routes, reported that more than a dozen of its flights were affected. In a statement on X, the airline noted,
“Due to the emerging situation in Iran, the subsequent closure of its airspace and in view of the safety of our passengers, the following Air India flights are either being diverted or returning to their origin. We regret the inconvenience caused to our passengers due to this unforeseen disruption and are making every effort to minimise it.”
Routes from New York, London, Vancouver, Chicago, and Washington were among those impacted. One Delta Air Lines flight from New York’s JFK to Tel Aviv flew for eight hours before returning to its origin, as confirmed by Flightradar24.
Israeli carriers, including El Al, Israir, and Arkia, proactively moved aircraft out of Israel. Several were seen departing Tel Aviv and heading to Cyprus. Meanwhile, Wizz Air stated it had re-routed flights affected by closed airspace for the next 72 hours.
Emirates, Qatar Airways, Lufthansa, Air France, KLM, and Delta all announced partial or full suspensions of flights to and from affected destinations in the region:
- Lufthansa suspended flights to Tehran and Tel Aviv until July 31, and to Amman, Beirut, and Erbil until June 20.
- Emirates halted operations to Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Iran until Sunday.
- Qatar Airways cancelled flights to Iran, Iraq, and Syria.
- Air France and KLM suspended flights to Tel Aviv until further notice and July 1, respectively.
- Delta Air Lines paused JFK–Tel Aviv service until August 31.
Russia’s civil aviation authority (Rosaviatsia) issued instructions prohibiting Russian airlines from using airspace over Iran, Iraq, Israel, and Jordan until June 26, and suspended flights to airports in Tehran and Tel Aviv. Russian carrier FlyDubai cancelled 22 flights to Dubai from 10 Russian airports scheduled for June 13–14.
The closure of airspace over eastern Iraq, a major international aviation corridor, has added to operational complexity. The region typically supports dozens of flights per hour between Europe and the Gulf, with detours now adding time and fuel costs to already tight airline schedules.
Global aviation markets reacted sharply. Shares in British Airways owner IAG fell 4.6 per cent, Delta Air Lines dropped 4 per cent, and Ryanair slid 3.5 per cent, amid concerns over increased jet fuel prices due to a surge in oil following the attacks.
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict, ongoing since October 2023, had already introduced volatility to regional airspace. Missile strikes and drone activity have created additional risks for commercial aviation. According to aviation risk consultancy Osprey Flight Solutions, six commercial aircraft have been shot down unintentionally and three near misses have occurred since 2001. Notable incidents include Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 in 2014, Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS752 in 2020, and aircraft losses in Kazakhstan and Sudan in 2023.
