Middle East travel crisis as Israel-Iran strikes shut skies and grounds flights

Flights across the Middle East continue to be grounded or rerouted as tensions between Israel and Iran erupt into open confrontation, triggering one of the most significant disruptions to regional aviation in recent years.

Ben Gurion International Airport, Israel's main aviation hub, remains closed to all civilian flights amid fears of further missile attacks. Israeli flag carrier El Al has suspended services until at least 19 June, with further cancellations announced through 23 June, affecting dozens of international routes.

Budget carriers Israir and Arkia have also grounded their fleets and begun evacuating aircraft.

The escalation has sparked airspace closures in Iran, Iraq, and Jordan, where authorities have cited safety concerns over the threat to civil aviation.

Iraq's airspace, a vital corridor for east-west air traffic between Europe and the Gulf, was closed on Friday, disrupting hundreds of flights that would typically cross the region each day.

Iran's official news agency IRNA confirmed the country’s airspace has been shut down "until further notice", and Jordan’s aviation regulator also announced a temporary closure to "anticipate any dangers resulting from the escalation".

Major airlines suspend routes

Lufthansa, Germany’s largest carrier, suspended all flights to Tel Aviv and Tehran until 31 July, and halted services to Amman, Beirut and Erbil through 20 June. Air France and KLM also suspended flights to Tel Aviv indefinitely.

In the UK, British Airways, easyJet, and Ryanair are not currently operating any flights to Israel. Irish carrier Ryanair extended its suspension at least until 31 August.

The UK's Foreign Office issued a warning against all travel to Israel, with officials citing a "fast-moving situation" that could deteriorate "without warning". France and Germany have released similar advisories against travel to both Israel and Iran.

From the Gulf, Emirates cancelled flights to Tehran, Baghdad, Basra, Amman and Beirut through 30 June, while Etihad Airways halted services between Abu Dhabi and Tel Aviv until 22 June. Qatar Airways temporarily cancelled all flights to Iran, Iraq and Syria.

Flydubai, another UAE-based carrier, has suspended services to five countries in the region and diverted or returned several aircraft mid-journey due to restricted airspace.

Lebanon’s Middle East Airlines (MEA) is seeking Iranian government approval to resume limited flights to Tehran. The Lebanese ambassador has begun preparing an official letter to Iran’s foreign ministry requesting clearance.

Central and South Asian airlines affected

The conflict’s impact has also extended into Central Asia. The Kazakh Aviation Administration issued a blanket ban on flights over Iran, Israel, Syria, Iraq, Jordan and Lebanon.

Uzbekistan Airways and other Uzbek carriers suspended Tel Aviv-bound routes and adjusted flights to Dubai and Sharm el-Sheikh to avoid Iranian airspace.

Air India has rerouted several long-haul services to Europe and North America to bypass Iranian skies, while Russia’s Aeroflot cancelled flights to Tehran and redirected others through Pakistani airspace.

Delta Air Lines suspended flights from New York’s JFK to Tel Aviv until 31 August and recently turned back a mid-air flight.

United Airlines also cancelled all Tel Aviv services through late August. SWISS, part of the Lufthansa Group, halted Tel Aviv flights until October and Beirut flights until July.