Flight Disruptions Intensify: Airlines Adjust Routes and Cancel Flights to Israel Amid Rising Mideast Tensions

In response to escalating tensions in the Middle East following the recent killings of senior Hamas and Hezbollah members, several airlines are now avoiding airspace over Iran and Lebanon and are canceling flights to both Israel and Lebanon. Singapore Airlines, as of early Friday, has ceased using Iranian airspace, citing safety as its top priority. This shift to alternate routes reflects growing concerns over potential conflicts in the region.

Similarly, Taiwan’s EVA Air and China Airlines have adjusted their Amsterdam-bound flights to avoid Iranian airspace, though they have not yet responded to inquiries regarding these changes. Flight data from Flightradar24 confirms these route modifications.

OPSGROUP, an organization that shares flight risk information, now advises airlines operating between Asia and Europe to steer clear of both Iranian and Iraqi airspace. This guidance follows reports that Iranian leaders are convening with allies to discuss possible responses to actions attributed to Israel.

The U.S. and several European carriers had already been avoiding Iranian airspace due to previous conflicts involving missile and drone exchanges with Israel. While many airlines, including Etihad, Emirates, FlyDubai, Qatar Airways, and Turkish Airlines, continue overflights of Iran, others are taking more cautious approaches.

Recent days have also seen multiple airlines, including Air India, Lufthansa, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and ITA Airways, suspend their services to Tel Aviv. Meanwhile, operations to Beirut have faced cancellations and delays after an incident in the Golan Heights, which Israel attributes to Hezbollah.

Adding to the complexity, both Canada and Britain have issued advisories for their aircraft to avoid Lebanese airspace, citing significant risks from military activities and the potential for anti-aircraft weaponry.

OPSGROUP warns that should a full-scale conflict erupt, the risks to civil aviation could increase dramatically, including threats from drones and missiles, and the possibility of GPS spoofing, which has been a growing concern around Lebanon and Israel.