Latest news with #airspaceclosure
Globe and Mail
24-06-2025
- Business
- Globe and Mail
U.S. strikes on Iran add to global travel disruptions
The U.S. entry into Israel's war with Iran has caused travel disruptions to pile up globally. Following unprecedented bombings ordered by President Donald Trump on three Iranian nuclear and military sites over the weekend, Iran on Monday launched a missile attack on U.S. forces at Qatar's Al Udeid Air Base. Qatar had closed its airspace just hours earlier, after both the U.S. and U.K. also urged their citizens to shelter in place there. The region has been on edge following the weekend strikes from the U.S. – and since Israel began the war with a surprise bombardment on Iran, which has responded with its own missile and drone strikes, earlier this month. As deadly attacks escalated between Israel and Iran, sections of airspace and airports throughout the region have temporarily closed. And airlines canceled more flights in recent days, with some halting select routes through the middle of the week – particularly in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, just across the Persian Gulf from Iran. The Middle East carriers were severely affected with cancellations and delays. Qatar Airways said its flights were suspended because of the closure of air traffic in Qatar. 'The airline is working closely with government stakeholders and the relevant authorities to support impacted passengers, and will resume operations when the airspace reopens,' it said, while warning that delays were likely even after operations resume. Additional ground staff was sent to Hamad International Airport and other key airports to assist affected passengers, it said. Emirates suspended all flights to Iran and Iraq, including those serving Baghdad and Basra, until and including Monday 30 June 2025. An unspecified number of other Emirates flights were rerouted but continuing to operate flights as scheduled, using flight paths well distanced from conflict areas. Some flights may be delayed. Etihad Airways, the other of the two flag carriers of the United Arab Emirates, suspended all flights between Abu Dhabi and Tel Aviv through 15 July, and also announced several regional flight cancellations for Monday and Tuesday, including those connecting Abu Dhabi to and from Kuwait, Doha, Dammam and Muscat. Gulf Air, the carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain, extended the cancellation of scheduled flights to Jordan and until June 27. 'As the safety of its passengers and crew members remains a top priority, Gulf Air will continue to monitor developments in the region closely, and work with its partners to help accommodate and reroute passengers affected by these flight cancellations,' it said. U.S. air strikes on Iran did not break international law, NATO's Rutte says Singapore Airlines SINGF, for example, canceled some flights to and from Dubai starting Sunday and through Wednesday, citing 'a security assessment of the geopolitical situation in the Middle East.' And British Airways has similarly suspended flights to and from Doha through Wednesday. 'Safety is always our highest priority,' British Airways said in a statement confirming its cancellations to The Associated Press, adding that it 'will keep the situation under review.' Air India on Monday announced it was ceasing 'all operations to the region as well as to and from the East Coast of North America and Europe' immediately until further notice. The airline, which is still reeling from a plane crash that killed at least 270 people earlier this month, added that India-bound flights from North America were being diverted or rerouted away from closed airspaces. Air tracking data from FlightAware showed 243 cancellations worldwide as of Tuesday. Dubai International Airport topped the list with 26 cancellations in and out of the airport as of 2 a.m. ET. And Air India had had the highest amount of cancellations among carriers, totaling 25 at about 2 a.m. ET. In other developments, Philippine Airlines canceled several flights to the Middle East, including those to Doha, Dubai and Riyadh for Tuesday and one to Doha Wednesday. Japan Airlines JAPSY said a flight from Tokyo's Haneda airport to Doha had to return Monday, and subsequently scheduled flights have all been canceled through June 27. Oil drops after Iran and Israel announce ceasefire, but prices may remain volatile amid reports of new Iranian missile launch Such disruptions have snarled travel, particularly as central hubs in the Middle East often connect flights worldwide – but experts stress that these kind of airspace closures and flight diversions are critical to ensuring safety, especially if future escalation emerges suddenly. 'It is the responsibility of states, countries to ensure that their airspace is safe for passage of aircraft,' Hassan Shahidi, president and CEO of the Flight Safety Foundation. He added that on Monday 'the Qataris did the absolutely right thing to close their airspace because of the threat of conflict.' Beyond Qatari airspace, Flightradar24 reported that UAE airspace was also closed on Monday. After several hours of diversions, flights appeared to be landing and taking off in the country again. Monday marks the latest 'dramatic increase' in this kind of impact, said Ian Petchenik, director of communications at Flightradar24. And while the future is unknown, he added that it's important to remember airspace closures and flight cancellations reflect that 'airlines, air traffic controllers and flight crews are doing their best to keep everybody safe.' Shahidi adds that it's important for travelers to monitor government guidance – such as safety notices from the U.S. State Department. How long the war lasts and what, if any, future escalation comes next could carry more widespread implications. Beyond disrupting global flight networks farther down the road, Shahidi stresses that it's very difficult for people who may need or want to evacuate countries impacted by the war to do so without access to commercial flights. At the same time, he adds, it's critical that state authorities focus on keeping their skies safe – pointing to past tragedies of passenger flights that were shot down by strikes. That includes Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, which was shot down by Russian-backed forces while flying over Ukraine in 2014, killing 298 people. 'We are all praying and urging resolution to this conflict – and especially as it relates to protection of civilian air travel,' Shahidi said. 'We do not want to have an MH17, with innocent lives being lost in a missile strike ... We do not want to repeat that history.'
Travel Weekly
23-06-2025
- Travel Weekly
Middle East airports disrupted as Iran-Israel conflict escalates
Airports in the Middle East were warning of canceled and delayed flights on Monday as nations' airspaces closed and planes routed away from the widening Iran-Israel conflict, reported the Associated Press, citing flight data. According to X posts from Flightradar24, airspace in Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates were closed at various points on Monday. Flightradar24 posted at about noon Eastern time that Qatar was temporarily closing its airspace, with about 100 flights bound for Doha at the time; it later said that UAE airspace was "closed" but at about 3 p.m. Eastern, it posted that UAE flights were "moving again." The closures came as Iran attacked a U.S. military base in Qatar on Monday, following missile attacks in Iran and Israel. In a post on its website, Qatar Airways said that its airspace was reopening after a temporary suspension of flights. It warned of "significant delays" to its schedule. It also rescheduled a number of flights over the coming weeks and urged passengers to verify flight departure times. Emirates said on Monday that a number of its flights had been rerouted while traveling to Dubai but that there were "no diversions." "After a thorough and careful risk assessment, Emirates will continue to operate flights as scheduled, using flight paths well distanced from conflict areas," the airline said. "Some flights may incur delays due to longer reroutings or airspace congestion." Carriers not from the Middle East were also impacted. For example, according to Flightradar24, Qantas flights from Perth bound for London and Paris were diverted, likely to Singapore. Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv remained closed.
The Independent
23-06-2025
- The Independent
Doha Airport: What does closure of Qatar airspace mean for flights across Middle East?
Tens of thousands of travellers are scattered at airports across the Middle East after Qatar 's airspace was suddenly closed ahead of the Iranian missile attack on a US base. Doha is second only to Dubai as an international hub airport in the Gulf, with over 120,000 passengers passing through each day. Qatar Airways posted on X (formerly Twitter): 'As a result of the closure of air traffic movement in the State of Qatar, we can confirm the temporary suspension of Qatar Airways flights. 'We are working closely with government stakeholders and the relevant authorities to support any passengers that have been impacted, and will resume operations when the airspace reopens. 'The safety of our passengers and crew remains our highest priority.' As airspace has now reopened and flights are beginning to resume, these are the key questions and answers which have emerged. What were the effects of the closure? The first plane to be diverted was a Qatar Airways Boeing 787 Dreamliner from London Gatwick, which was well into its descent into Doha when it was turned away and flew to the Saudi capital, Riyadh. Dozens of following flights were diverted: initially to reasonably nearby airports, including Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Dubai World Central, Muscat, Medina, Riyadh and Jeddah. As they filled up, diversion airports spread to Istanbul, Cairo and Salalah in southern Oman. Qatar Airways diverted many inbound flights from Asia and Australasia to Indian airports, including Goa, Delhi and Mumbai. Some flights returned to their starting points or were cancelled before departure – including what was intended to be the first British Airways flight from London Heathrow to Doha since Friday, after the weekend flights were grounded. What happened to other planes from the UK? A Qatar Airways flight from Heathrow is also in Riyadh. The departure from Birmingham returned to the West Midlands airport after it had flown 1,800 miles to the eastern edge of Crete. The next three Heathrow flights in line returned to London, as did the evening Gatwick and Manchester to Doha services. But passengers on Qatar Airways from Edinburgh are currently in Istanbul. What will happen to the passengers who find themselves in strange airports? The airline should aim to put the passengers and crew up in hotels and fly onwards to Doha once the airport is operational again. But that will prove difficult in locations such as India, where visa rules are tough. And in places such as Bahrain and Muscat, there will not be enough hotel rooms for a sudden influx of thousands of passengers. That is why many flights returned to their starting points – frustrating for travellers who may have spent eight hours on a 'flight to nowhere', but better than the alternatives. How will Doha airport itself cope? With difficulty. Tens of thousands of passengers will have been waiting in the terminal to depart, whether they had just flown in or were starting their journey in Qatar – perhaps returning home after a family or business trip. While the indications are that some departures may begin in the early hours of Tuesday morning, it will take days to clear the backlog. As we saw with the closure of Heathrow airport due to a power failure in March, disarray ripples across the world. Planes and crews will need to be brought back to Doha, and getting back on schedule will take days. What are passengers' rights? Under UK and EU air passengers' rights legislation, anyone starting their journey in Europe is in a strong position. Stuck in Doha? You must be provided with a hotel and meals until you can be flown out. Not yet left Britain? Passengers booked from UK airports on Qatar Airways flights via Doha to Asia, Australasia or Africa are entitled to be flown to their destination as soon as possible by any carrier that has seats available. As Qatar Airways has a 25 per cent stake in British Airways' holding company, IAG, BA can be expected to pick up much of the slack. Emirates and Turkish Airlines are other possibilities for many Asian and African destinations, while Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific could provide lift for passengers bound for Australia and New Zealand. What if I am flying home – so my journey began outside Europe? Booked on a non-European airline from an airport outside the EU and UK, you have no such rights. As I discovered to my cost in November when Qatar Airways cancelled a flight from Kathmandu via Doha to London and offered an alternative a week later, with no hotel accommodation, the airline can do what it likes. On that occasion I took a refund and spent a further £1,300 on a flight home via Bangkok. Passengers in a hurry or who do not want to stump up for hotels may do something similar. Travel insurance may help with some out-of-pocket expenses and a modest payment for long delays. When will things be back to normal? Airlines including Qatar Airways are working at full stretch as the summer peak approaches, so even when the schedule is back on track it could be July before some stranded passengers get where they need to be.
The Guardian
23-06-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
Australian passenger disruption as airlines delay or cancel flights after Iran's attack on US base in Qatar
The Albanese government and airlines are warning passengers in Australia of flight delays and disruptions after Iran's strike on a US base in Qatar resulted in several countries closing their airspace. In a post to X on Tuesday morning, foreign affairs minister Penny Wong said there had been 'disruptions to flights with temporary airspace closures in the region'. 'Closure of airspace around transit hubs may impact flights globally, causing delays and cancellations,' she said. 'Australians travelling should seek updates from their airlines and follow SmartTraveller.' In a statement, Qantas said it had rerouted two flights – one bound for the UK and one headed to Europe – with the latter en route back to Australia. 'Due to airspace closures and congestion through the Middle East resulting in air traffic restrictions, QF9 (Perth-London) has been diverted to Singapore and QF33 (Perth-Paris) is returning to Perth,' the statement said. 'We continue to monitor airspace availability closely and will alter our schedule as required. We thank our customers for their patience and understanding.' Virgin Australia was warning passengers it had diverted flights VA1 and VA15, operated by Qatar Airways for Virgin Australia, after Qatar's airspace temporarily closed. Qatar's Civil Aviation Authority has reopened the country's airspace, however, with the agency posting to X that things would return to 'normal' after taking 'necessary measures in coordination with relevant authorities', according to a translation. 'The Authority commends the great cooperation shown by all partners and the efforts of all state entities to ensure the safety and security of aviation in Qatari airspace.' But some passengers were electing to disembark flights rather than continue their travel plans, including at Melbourne airport, according to the ABC. The airport warned passengers on Tuesday morning that there may be delays or disruptions to service 'if you're due to travel through the Middle East today'. 'Please check with your airline for any updates to your flight departure time,' the airline posted on X. More details soon…
Daily Mail
23-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Doha-bound flight diverted after Iran's attack on US airbase
The airline announced at 7.30pm as the plane was flying back over Croatia that it had temporarily grounded all flights after Qatar closed its airspace. Qatar Airways wrote on X: 'As a result of the closure of air traffic movement in the State of Qatar, we can confirm the temporary suspension of Qatar Airways flights. 'We are working closely with government stakeholders and the relevant authorities to support any passengers that have been impacted, and will resume operations when the airspace reopens. 'The safety of our passengers and crew remains our highest priority.' It comes after Qatar intercepted an Iranian missile attack on the major US military base on its soil and said it could respond in kind. Bright flashes lit up the night sky and blasts echoed across wealthy Doha in an attack that followed US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites over the weekend. The missiles targeted Al Udeid Air Base, the biggest US military facility in the Middle East, in what Qatar's foreign ministry condemned as a 'flagrant violation' of its sovereignty. 'We affirm that the State of Qatar reserves the right to respond directly in a manner proportional to the nature and scale of this blatant aggression,' foreign ministry spokesman Majed Al-Ansari added in a statement. Air traffic was suspended over Qatar, neighbouring Bahrain and Kuwait. Qatar's defence ministry said there were no deaths or injuries. Qatar's interior ministry said that the security situation was 'stable' and there was 'no cause for concern'. A US defence official in Washington said Al Udeid was 'attacked by short-range and medium-range ballistic missiles originating from Iran'.
