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 halted flights to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates until at least Tuesday inclusive. The airline has also extended the suspension of the Paris-Tel Aviv route until July 14. Flights of Air France's low-cost carrier Transavia from Paris to Beirut have been suspended until June 30, while the Tel Aviv route is closed until September 7.
Germany's Lufthansa group, which includes Swiss, Austrian, and ITA airlines, has suspended flights to the Middle East until June 30. The group's routes to Amman and Erbil, Iraq, have also been suspended until July 11. Additionally, Lufthansa will not fly to Tel Aviv and Tehran until July 31, and it is avoiding the airspace of countries involved in the conflict.
Greece's Aegean Airlines has stopped Tel Aviv flights until July 12, with its Amman, Beirut, and Erbil routes closed until June 28. Turkish airline Pegasus has scrapped flights to Iraq, Jordan, and Lebanon until June 30, and flights to Iran until July 30. Meanwhile, no Turkish Airlines flights to Baghdad, Damascus, and Tehran are available before July 1.
In North America, United Airlines has warned passengers that flights to and from Dubai scheduled between June 18 and July 3 may be affected. It is offering no-fee ticket changes under certain conditions due to Middle East unrest. The airline has implemented 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 warning that the suspension could be extended. 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.
Asian airlines are also adjusting their schedules. Singapore Airlines has cancelled eight flights to Dubai, with two flights per day cancelled from Sunday through Wednesday.