Major Airlines Reroute as Iran Tensions Disrupt Middle East Flights
European and Middle Eastern air traffic faced disruption this week as several international airlines adjusted flight paths or cancelled services due to rising tensions around Iran. The steps follow a recommendation from the EU aviation regulator urging carriers to avoid Iranian airspace after Tehran’s crackdown on protests and Washington’s warnings of possible military action. Routes between Europe, the Gulf and beyond have been most affected, with changes varying by airline.
KLM stated on 24 January that it would, as a precaution, avoid the airspace of Iran, Iraq, Israel and parts of the Gulf region until further notice. The Dutch carrier also suspended services to Dubai, Riyadh, Dammam and Tel Aviv during the same period. KLM says it is monitoring developments and will process disrupted bookings through refunds, vouchers or rebooking when possible. The carrier also confirmed temporary cancellations to destinations across the Gulf and Israel, reflecting broader airspace adjustments by European airlines.
Other major carriers confirmed similar avoidance measures. Air France suspended Dubai flights briefly before resuming them and said it was monitoring events "in real time". Lufthansa announced it would bypass Iranian and Iraqi airspace and temporarily operate only daytime rotations to Tel Aviv and Amman. British Airways paused Bahrain flights as a precaution before later restoring availability. Finnair rerouted Doha and Dubai services over Saudi Arabia and had already been avoiding Iranian, Syrian and Israeli skies for security reasons. Wizz Air said that avoiding Iranian and Iraqi airspace may require technical stops in Cyprus or Greece on certain westbound flights.
Current Impact on Routes
- Longer flight times on Europe–Gulf sectors
- Temporary cancellations on selected Middle East city pairs
- Increased use of Saudi and North African corridors
- Possible technical stops on long narrow-body flights
For travellers connecting through the Middle East or flying long-haul to Asia and Australia, these measures may change routing via major hubs. Istanbul, Doha, Cairo and Jeddah remain key gateways, linking Europe with South Asia, Southeast Asia and East Africa, though schedules may shift and flying times may stretch depending on demand and airspace availability.
"Therefore some westbound flights from Dubai and Abu Dhabi airports will have to make (refuelling and crew change) stops in Larnaca, Cyprus or Thessaloniki, Greece."
Uncertainty around the conflict has already changed flight paths and schedules with little notice. People booked during the affected period should keep an eye on their airline’s app or booking page instead of assuming they’ll be moved to another flight automatically. It also helps to know which hubs could work as alternatives and to have tickets or insurance that allow date changes when airspace restrictions shift during the day.
