As tensions in the Middle East flare up again, airlines are cancelling and rerouting flights across the region amid prevailing uncertainties and bellicose statements from world leaders.
The situation escalated after US President Donald Trump announced that a US “armada” and other military assets were en route to the Gulf, after what he described as two red lines being crossed by the Iranian regime: the killing of peaceful protesters and the mass execution of prisoners. Last Friday, a senior Iranian official responded by stating that any attack would be treated as “an all-out war.”
The escalation has caused widespread disruption, with airlines flying between Europe, the Middle East, and Asia rerouting or cancelling flights, leaving thousands of passengers stranded.
The EU Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has maintained its recommendation, issued on 16 January, to avoid Iranian airspace for as long as tensions remain high.
🛫
— S (@Xpliciid) January 23, 2026
Iran / Air-space / Air operators:
EASA issued a notice for Iranian air-space.
That notice is still active.
EASA recommendation:
Air operators should:
1. Not operate within the airspace of Iran, FIR Tehran (OIIX), at all altitudes and flight levels;
2. Exercise caution… pic.twitter.com/MeozV0thF8
Dutch caretaker Minister of Foreign Affairs David Van Weel summed up the tense mood when he told national television that “the situation is tense; the troop buildup is ongoing. If the Americans were to act, they may not inform others in advance.”
Consequently, on Saturday, KLM announced that it would avoid flying over large parts of the region until further notice. The airline has suspended flights to Tel Aviv, Dubai, Dammam, and Riyadh, and will not fly over Iraq, Iran, Israel, and several other countries “as a precaution,” according to a company spokesperson.
On 14 January, Lufthansa announced that it would no longer fly over Iranian and Iraqi airspace until further notice, and that it would suspend night flights to Israel and Jordan until the end of January. On Friday, the group announced that its flights to Ben Gurion Airport had been cancelled.
🇩🇪✈️🇮🇷⚠️ German authorities have issued a new NOTAM cautioning German airlines from entering Iranian airspace. Lufthansa was scheduled to resume flights to Tehran on Friday. The airline last operated the route in June 2025.
— Flightradar24 (@flightradar24) January 14, 2026
A) EDGG EDWW EDMM B) 2601141705 C) 2602102359 E)… pic.twitter.com/MN68wzzSep
British Airways temporarily suspended flights to Bahrain, but has since resumed operations after reviewing the situation and says it continues to monitor developments closely.
Wizz Air said it was avoiding Iraqi and Iranian airspace. As a result, some westbound flights from Dubai and Abu Dhabi now have to stop in Larnaca, Cyprus, or Thessaloniki, Greece, to refuel and change crews, a company representative explained.
On 16 January, Finnair announced that it had stopped flying through Iraqi airspace and was rerouting its flights over Saudi Arabia to reach Doha and Dubai. The airline had previously announced that it was avoiding Iranian, Israeli, and Syrian airspace for security reasons.
Air France, British Airways, Lufthansa, KLM, and several other international airlines have begun to cancel flights tonight and over the weekend to and from Israel, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, citing the “security situation” in the Middle East.
— AirNav Radar (@AirNavRadar) January 23, 2026
Track them… pic.twitter.com/wFCMSqpRaC
Air France has resumed services to Dubai after suspending them for a day, saying it was “monitoring the situation in real time and will provide further updates on its flight schedule.”
Across the industry, many other major carriers, including United Airlines, Air Canada, and Swiss International Air Lines, are also avoiding Iranian airspace and rerouting long-haul flights via safer corridors over Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Central Asia.
Although the chances of a missile striking a passenger aircraft remain low, airlines prefer not to take the risk. In addition, standard aviation insurance policies often exclude acts of war, meaning carriers may face higher premiums or limited coverage unless they have specific war-risk insurance.
These decisions are already proving costly for airlines, which are forced to operate longer routes to Asia. This increases fuel consumption and flight times, particularly at a time when Russian airspace remains closed to most Western carriers.
