Middle East flight disruptions ease but reroutes and select cancellations continue

Flight operations in the Middle East are stabilising after a week of disruption, but delays and selective cancellations continue due to airspace safety guidance. KLM paused some routes on 24 January, with partial restorations by 27 January and Dubai expected to resume on 30 January; Tel Aviv remains suspended. Wizz Air is adding fuel stops for some westbound flights from Dubai and Abu Dhabi. IndiGo and Transavia have suspended specific services, and Lufthansa Group is limiting Amman operations to daylight hours. Gulf carriers are rerouting, adding 30–90 minutes to some journeys.

Flight operations across the Middle East are gradually returning to normal, though delays and selective cancellations continue as airlines adjust routings in response to updated airspace safety guidance. Following reports of heightened geopolitical risk, several carriers temporarily altered schedules, with the primary impacts on routes involving Israel, parts of the Gulf, and Jordan.

KLM paused flights from 24 January to Tel Aviv, Dubai, Dammam, and Riyadh to avoid Iranian, Iraqi, and Israeli airspace. Services to Dammam and Riyadh were restored on Tuesday, 27 January. The airline indicated it expects to restart Dubai flights on Friday, 30 January, while Tel Aviv remains suspended for now.

Operational workarounds vary by carrier. Wizz Air introduced technical refuelling stops in Larnaca (Cyprus) or Thessaloniki (Greece) for certain westbound departures from Dubai and Abu Dhabi to accommodate longer routings. IndiGo suspended services to and from Almaty, Baku, Tashkent, and Tbilisi due to security concerns around Iranian airspace. Transavia cancelled all Dubai flights until at least 28 January.

Restrictions also differ by destination. The Lufthansa Group limited Amman operations to daylight hours. Many Western airlines are avoiding Iranian and Iraqi airspace entirely. Major Gulf carriers, including Emirates and Qatar Airways, continue to operate while routing around the Tehran Flight Information Region, which is adding approximately 30 to 90 minutes to some journeys. Flydubai cancelled several services to Iranian cities such as Tehran, Mashhad, and Shiraz.

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency issued a Conflict Zone Information Bulletin on Friday, 16 January, recommending avoidance of Iranian airspace at all altitudes. This guidance has prompted the rerouting and schedule changes noted above. For travellers, practical effects include possible unscheduled fuel stops, earlier daytime scheduling on some routes (notably to Jordan and Israel), and extended flight times where services continue. Airlines are offering refunds and flexible rebooking, with policies varying by carrier. Passengers connecting through hubs such as Dubai or Riyadh should monitor itineraries closely due to potential knock-on delays. The current advisory runs until mid-February 2026, and some airlines indicate operational adjustments could extend into the spring depending on developments.