Airlines diverted more flights in the Middle East on Monday after Iran’s armed forces said the country launched a missile strike on a U.S. military base in Qatar, exacerbating the region’s military conflict.
More than 20 commercial aircraft bound for Doha, Qatar, diverted, while another four heading to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates turned around, according to aviation data firm Cirium. Meanwhile, flight-tracking platform Flightradar24 said airspace over the UAE was closed. Reuters reported that the island nation of Bahrain also closed its airspace temporarily.
British Airways said Monday it is canceling its Doha flights through Wednesday “following the latest developments.”
“Safety is always our highest priority,” it said. “We are contacting our customers to advise them of their options and will keep the situation under review.”
Earlier, major international airlines including Air France, Iberia, Finnair and others announced they would pause or further postpone a resumption of service to some destinations in the Middle East.
American Airlines had previously suspended its flights to Doha, and United Airlines had paused service to Dubai.
U.S. carriers had also suspended their Israel service after that country’s strike on Iran earlier this month.
The conflict in the Middle East region comes on top of the yearslong war in Ukraine, where airlines have also been avoiding flights. The duel conflicts have forced airlines to take longer routes that are more costly because they require additional fuel, while carriers have periodically paused service when attacks escalate.
Flight patterns over United Arad Emirates.Courtesy: Flightradar24
