Paris: Global airlines have suspended or reduced flights in the Middle East as the conflict between Israel and Iran rages and the United States joins the fight. The US carried out strikes against Iranian nuclear sites overnight Saturday to Sunday after over a week of deadly missile exchanges between Israel and Iran.
According to France24.com, Air France has halted flights to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates until at least Tuesday inclusive. Additionally, the airline extended the suspension of the Paris-Tel Aviv route until July 14. Transavia, Air France's low-cost carrier, has suspended its flights from Paris to Beirut until June 30, with the Tel Aviv route remaining closed until September 7.
Germany's Lufthansa group, which includes airlines such as Swiss, Austrian, and ITA, has also suspended flights to the Middle East until June 30. Routes to Amman and Erbil, Iraq, are suspended until July 11, while flights to Tel Aviv and Tehran will not resume until July 31. The group is also avoiding the airspace of countries involved in the conflict.
Greece's Aegean Airlines has stopped flights to Tel Aviv until July 12, with its Amman, Beirut, and Erbil routes closed until June 28. Turkish airline Pegasus has canceled flights to Iraq, Jordan, and Lebanon until June 30, and to Iran until July 30. No Turkish Airlines flights to Baghdad, Damascus, and Tehran are available before July 1.
United Airlines has warned passengers that flights to and from Dubai scheduled between June 18 and July 3 may be affected, offering no-fee ticket changes under certain conditions due to Middle East unrest. The airline is also providing similar flexibility for Tel Aviv flights between June 13 and August 1, allowing customers to rebook for other major European cities.
Air Canada has temporarily suspended its daily non-stop service from Toronto to Dubai starting June 18, with a possibility of extending the suspension. Travel via a European stopover on a partner airline remains possible according to its website. American Airlines is allowing customers to change their bookings to Doha without fees for travel originally scheduled between June 19 and July 20.
Singapore Airlines has canceled eight flights to Dubai, two per day from Sunday through Wednesday.