Iran’s retaliatory attack on U.S. Air Force Base in Qatar has added even more confusion for travelers flying to the Middle East as airlines continue to navigate the ongoing volatility of the region.
Some Middle Eastern countries reportedly have temporarily closed their airspace and are forced to cancel, detour or reroute flights to many airlines.
Travelers flying through the Middle East are advised to check with the airline for the latest information on the situation.
Qatar Airways said in a statement that flights have resumed inside and outside Hamad International Airport, with Qatar’s airspace reopening.
In the United Arab Emirates, Dubai Airport has also announced that it has resumed full operations at the emirate’s airport “in response to temporary precautions.”
However, Air India announced on Tuesday that it will be in and out of North America and Europe’s east coast with all operations “in developing countries” and immediate effect, up to notification.
Other affected airlines include Singapore Airlines, which cancelled its Singapore Dubai flights scheduled for June 24th and 25th. Meanwhile, Australia’s flagship airline Qantas has announced that services between Australia and Europe, which are scheduled to depart on June 24th, are operating as planned.
Experts say the chaos caused by war has become a fact of life that the aviation industry has been skilled at dealing with.
Brendan Soby, a Singapore-based aviation consultant, recently told CNN, “Airlines have a division of people who are constantly looking at the issues of airspace and assessing risks,” adding that each airline has different variables in how it operates.
“Even in open airspace, some airlines may consider it unsafe,” he said.
