By: Isuru Parakrama
June 22, World (LNW): Air travel across the Middle East faced heightened disruption over the weekend, as commercial airlines continued to divert flights away from key regional airspaces in response to recent military escalations, international media reported.
The move follows a series of United States-led strikes targeting nuclear facilities in Iran, which have further destabilised the already volatile air corridors across the region.
According to the aviation monitoring platform FlightRadar24, the current flight patterns reflect precautionary measures introduced in recent days due to the rising threat from missile attacks and drone incursions.
Aircraft are now avoiding the skies above Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Israel, instead taking longer detours either northwards over the Caspian Sea or south via Egypt and Saudi Arabia. Whilst these routes significantly increase flight durations and operating costs, safety concerns have taken precedence for carriers and regulators alike.
This shift comes amid broader fears in the aviation sector over the growing number of global conflict zones, which increasingly threaten the security of international air travel. The Middle East, in particular, has once again become a focus of concern, with airspace closures prompting delays, cancellations, and operational reshuffles.
Since Israel launched military action on Iranian soil on June 13, many airlines have either suspended services to and from the region or redirected flights to avoid affected zones. A limited number of evacuation operations have continued from neighbouring countries, mainly to repatriate nationals caught in the crisis.
Israel’s two main airlines, El Al and Arkia, announced on Sunday the indefinite suspension of all special rescue flights. El Al also extended the cancellation of regular services until at least June 27.
Meanwhile, Israel’s aviation authorities confirmed that the nation’s airspace remains closed to all inbound and outbound flights, though its border crossings with Jordan and Egypt remain operational.
In response to the worsening situation, governments around the world have begun evacuating their citizens from the region. Japan’s foreign ministry confirmed it had successfully transported 21 individuals, including 16 Japanese nationals, from Iran to Azerbaijan by land. It marked the second such evacuation in recent days, with the government signalling readiness to organise additional extractions if required.
New Zealand also announced emergency preparations. In a statement released on Sunday, officials confirmed that a C-130J Hercules military aircraft would be dispatched to the Middle East from Auckland the following day. The transport mission, intended to stand by for potential evacuations of New Zealanders in the region, is expected to take several days to arrive. Authorities are also liaising with commercial carriers to explore further evacuation options.
