Flights are redirected and canceled as Israel carries out airstrikes on Iran.
Unhinged Dispatches: Fueling the Frenzy in the Middle East Skies
Welcome to the wild ride amid the raucous tussle between Israel and Iran, sending the skies of the Middle East into a frenzy. The aftermath of Israel's missile attack on Iran on June 13, 2023, has left the regional air traffic scrambling. With numerous airlines suspending their services and the situation remaining precarious, travelers are left hanging in limbo.
As per the aviation tracker Flightradar24, on Friday, the air above Iran, Israel, Jordan, Syria, and Iraq was emptied of commercial flights. Officially, these countries - Israel, Iran, and Jordan - have closed their airspace following the attack.
Multiple international flights have ejected mid-air or curtailed, like the Delta Air Lines flight from John F. Kennedy Airport in New York to Tel Aviv, which looped back to New York after spending eight hours aloft. Around 650 flights to and from Europe were nixed on Friday, according to Eurocontrol, with some 1,800 flights across the continent impacted in one way or another by the attack.
Dodging Bullets, and Delays
Post the Israeli strike on Iran, planes started deserting Israel. Israeli carriers El Al, Israir, and Arkia have evacuated at least part of their planes out of concern for retaliation. Many of these are now grounded in Cyprus.
Minor airlines have called the shots in response to the escalating conflict. For example, Lufthansa ceased its flights to Tehran and Tel Aviv until July 31, while its flights to Amman, Beirut, and Erbil are halted until June 20. On June 15, Emirates declared that its flights to Jordan (Amman) and Lebanon (Beirut) would be suspended until and including June 22, 2025. Flights to Iran (Tehran) and Iraq (Baghdad and Basra) are suspended until and including June 30, 2025.
Air France has axed flights to Tel Aviv until further notice, while KLM will hold off traveling to Tel Aviv until July 1. Delta Air Lines has bolted its flights to Tel Aviv from New York through August 31 in response to the hostilities. Qatar Airways has "temporarily cancelled flights to Iran and Iraq," the airline stated in a June 15 release.
Syria's airspace has resumed since the weekend, while Jordan's is open again. However, there are no planes above Israel or Iran, as instead, they are being diverted north or south.
Hail Mary Pass for Travelers
Travelers planning trips to the region are advised to keep a watchful eye on their flight information and the travel advice issued by their respective countries for Israel, Iran, and other countries in the Middle East. With the clash between Israel and Iran still actively unfolding, passengers need to stay informed and consider purchasing comprehensive travel insurance that covers emergencies.
[1] Emirates Press Release, June 15, 2025, https://www.emiratesgroupnews.com/en/pressreleases/2025/06/15/emirates-temporarily-cancels-flights-to-jordan-lebanon-iraq-and-iran/
[2] UK Foreign Office Travel Advisory, Middle East, https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/middle-east
[3] Qatar Airways Press Release, June 15, 2025, https://www.qatarairways.com/en-us/news/press-releases/temporary-flight-suspension-announcement.html
[4] Skyscanner, Middle East Flights, https://www.skyscanner.com/flights-to-the-middle-east/
[5] Live air traffic data from Flightradar24, https://www.flightradar24.com/live-map#5/27.3350/43.1911
- Due to the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran, many travelers are in a state of uncertainty as numerous flights to the Middle East have been disrupted, with carriers like Emirates and Qatar Airways cancelling flights to Iran, Iraq, Jordan, and Lebanon, as stated in their respective press releases.
- In the midst of war-and-conflicts in the Middle East, politics and general-news have profoundly impacted the travel sector, with flights being altered or cancelled, as evidenced by the empty skies over Israel, Iran, Jordan, Syria, and Iraq, according to aviation tracker Flightradar24.
