Attack on Iran disrupts flights across the Middle East and beyond
Feb 28, 2026, 2:54 AM
FILE -Workers load medical aid onto an Air India plane to be flown to India, at Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv, Israel, May 4, 2021. (Menahem Kahana/Pool Photo via AP, File)
Credit: ASSOCIATED PRESS
(Menahem Kahana/Pool Photo via AP, File)
LONDON (AP) — The U.S. and Israel’s attack on Iran disrupted flights across the region and beyond.
The United Arab Emirates, home to both the long-haul carriers Emirates and Etihad, and Israel closed their airspace on Saturday. Qatar Airways Group said it has temporarily canceled flights to and from Doha because Qatari airspace also was closed.
Planes that were en route to Israel were rerouted to other airports, and passengers who were at Ben Gurion International Airport awaiting flights were shuttled back.
Dutch airline KLM had already announced earlier in the week that it was suspending flights to and from Tel Aviv starting Sunday.
Virgin Atlantic canceled its flight from Heathrow Airport in London to Dubai and said it would avoid flying over Iraq, meaning flights to and from India, the Maldives, Dubai and Riyadh could take slightly longer. The airline already was not flying over Iran. Virgin Atlantic said all flights would carry appropriate fuel in case they need to reroute on short notice.
Turkish Airlines said on X that flights to Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Iran and Jordan will be suspended until Monday and flights to Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Oman would be suspended on Saturday. The airline said additional cancellations may be announced.
