Airlines steered clear of much of the Middle East after Israeli attacks on Iranian sites forced carriers to cancel or divert thousands of flights in the latest upheaval to travel in the region.
Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport was closed and Israel’s air defence units stood on high alert for possible retaliatory strikes from Iran. Israel’s El Al Airlines said it had suspended flights to and from Israel as did Air France and budget carriers Ryanair and Wizz.
FlightRadar data showed airspace over Iran, Iraq and Jordan was empty, with flights directed towards Saudi Arabia and Egypt instead.
About 1,800 flights to and from Europe had been affected so far on Friday, including approximately 650 cancelled flights, according to Eurocontrol.
Iranian airspace has been closed until further notice, according to state media and notices to pilots.
Air India, which flies over Iran on its Europe and North American flights, said several flights were being diverted or returned to their origin, including ones from New York, Vancouver, Chicago and London.
Germany’s Lufthansa said its flights to Tehran have been suspended and that it would avoid Iranian, Iraqi and Israeli airspace for the time being.
Emirates also cancelled flights to and from Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Iran while Qatar Airways axed flights to Iran, Iraq and Syria.
Iraq early on Friday closed its airspace and suspended all traffic at its airports, Iraqi state media reported.
Russia’s civil aviation authority Rosaviatsia said it had instructed Russian airlines to stop using the airspace of Iran, Iraq, Israel and Jordan until June 26. It said flights to airports in Iran and Israel were also off limits for civil carriers.
