Middle East Airspace Disruptions Continue for a Second Day, Involving Airspace Closures and Flight Cancellations

For the second consecutive day, air traffic across the Middle East remains widely disrupted due to joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran, subsequent missile attacks, and reciprocal military actions involving multiple countries in the region. As a result, several countries have implemented partial or total airspace closures, and both regional and international airlines have cancelled or rescheduled flights.

These measures serve as precautionary steps to ensure aircraft safety, passenger security, and the protection of flight operations from potential risks. The following sections provide further details:

Total Airspace Closures: Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, and Iraq

The closure of Kuwaiti airspace continues for the second consecutive day, following yesterday’s announcement by the Kuwait Directorate General of Civil Aviation of a temporary closure to aircraft and passenger traffic.

The Qatar Civil Aviation Authority had announced a temporary suspension of air traffic. Qatar Airways confirmed on Sunday that a further update will be provided tomorrow, 2 March. It advised passengers to monitor flight information on its website or mobile application.

In a similar move, Bahraini authorities temporarily suspended air traffic. In turn, the Iraqi Ministry of Transport announced the complete closure of the country’s airspace to all types of civil aviation traffic.

Partial Airspace Closure in the UAE and Flight Suspensions in Oman

Meanwhile, UAE airspace is experiencing a partial and temporary closure, as the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority announced the closure as an exceptional precautionary measure aimed at ensuring the safety of flights and crews and protecting the country’s territory.

Furthermore, Oman Air announced in a statement that “it has been decided to suspend flights to and from Moscow, Amman, and Khasab until further notice, while flights to and from Dubai, Bahrain, Doha, Dammam, and Kuwait have been temporarily cancelled as a precautionary measure.”

Oman Air confirmed the continued operation of its flights to its remaining destinations, warning of potential delays.

Syria: Airspace Closure Extended for 24 Hours

The General Authority of Civil Aviation announced the extension of the closure of the Syrian Arab Republic’s airspace to all aircraft traffic, in addition to the closure of all Syrian airports for takeoff and landing operations, for a period of 24 hours starting from 00:00 on Sunday, 1 March 2026, Damascus time.

The Authority clarified in a statement that this measure falls within its commitment to the highest standards of aviation safety and civil aviation security.

Saudi Arabia: Airspace Remains Open with Amended Flight Paths

For its part, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia kept its airspace open, making its skies a vital alternative corridor for global aviation connecting Europe and Asia. Saudia cancelled and amended the flight paths of several of its flights to avoid conflict-affected areas.

Egypt: Maximum Readiness and Reception of Diverted International Flights

Egypt sought to assist in managing the regional aviation crisis, as Civil Aviation Minister Sameh El-Hefny announced, raising the state of maximum readiness at Cairo Airport and all Egyptian airports. While Egyptian airspace remained fully open, Egyptian airports received more than 22 international flights diverted due to the closure of neighbouring countries’ airspace. EgyptAir also suspended flights to 13 destinations in the region due to security conditions there.

International Airline Flight Cancellations

The impact extended beyond Middle Eastern countries and airlines, as major regional and international carriers, such as Air Algérie and Royal Air Maroc, cancelled or suspended flights to the region. This wave of cancellations affected the Gulf states, Jordan, and Lebanon.