Middle East airspace closures disrupt 11,000 flights

Airlines are facing unprecedented disruption across the Middle East after days of airspace closures along one of the world’s busiest global flight corridors, as conflict between Israel and Iran intensifies.

Wide stretches of regional airspace have been shut down, forcing carriers to cancel at least 11,000 flights and disrupting travel plans for an estimated 1.5 million passengers. Several major airport hubs in the region have also been targeted by Iranian missile and drone strikes, the Wall Street Journal reports.

“The situation far surpasses anything we’ve seen in the Middle East previously,” said Matt Borie, chief intelligence officer at aviation risk firm Osprey, citing the vast scale of Iran’s retaliation across the region following last weekend’s broad attacks from Israel and the U.S.

The duration of the disruption remains uncertain. Previous flare-ups between Israel and Iran in recent years have typically lasted only a few days. However, President Donald Trump has suggested the current hostilities could continue for weeks. European aviation safety regulators have advised airlines that it is not safe to operate flights in the Gulf region until at least March 6.

Airline stocks fell sharply on March 2 as investors assessed the potential financial impact of prolonged conflict and rising oil prices. Shares of major U.S. carriers, including American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines, declined. European airlines, which rely more heavily on routes through the Persian Gulf to connect with destinations across Asia, recorded steeper losses.

Beyond higher fuel costs, airlines are reassessing the viability of routes that depend on Middle East airspace. Rerouting flights around the region can add several hours to journey times, increasing fuel consumption and disrupting tightly managed schedules that factor in mandatory crew rest requirements and allocated airport takeoff and landing slots.

By Sabina Mammadli