FACTBOX-Airlines suspend flights as Middle East tensions rise
As tensions rise in the Middle East, numerous international airlines have suspended flights to the region. Airlines such as Emirates, Air France, Delta, and British Airways have canceled or paused services to cities like Tel Aviv and Beirut, with some suspensions lasting until the end of the year. The situation has led to widespread adjustments in flight schedules, reflecting concerns over safety and potential conflict escalation.
(Updates Emirates and Wizz Air)
Oct 14 (Reuters) - Concerns over a wider conflict in the Middle East have prompted international airlines to suspend flights to the region or to avoid affected air space.
Below are some of the airlines that have adjusted services to and from the region:
AEGEAN AIRLINES (AGNr.AT) The Greek airline cancelled flights to and from Beirut until Oct. 31 and to and from Tel Aviv until Oct. 21.
AIR ALGERIE The Algerian airline suspended flights to and from Lebanon until further notice.
AIRBALTIC Latvia’s airBaltic cancelled flights to and from Tel Aviv until Oct. 31.
AIR EUROPA The Spanish airline cancelled flights to Tel Aviv until Oct. 20.
AIR FRANCE-KLM (AIRF.PA) Air France extended its suspension of Paris-Tel Aviv flights until Oct. 15 and Paris-Beirut flights until Oct. 26. KLM extended the suspension of flights to Tel Aviv until the end of this year at least. The Franco-Dutch group’s low-cost unit Transavia cancelled flights to and from Tel Aviv, Amman and Beirut until end-March.
AIR INDIA The Indian flag carrier suspended flights to and from Tel Aviv until further notice.
BULGARIA AIR The Bulgarian carrier cancelled flights to and from Israel until Oct. 31.
CATHAY PACIFIC (0293.HK) Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific cancelled flights to Tel Aviv until Oct. 25, 2025.
DELTA AIR LINES (DAL.N) The U.S. carrier paused flights between New York and Tel Aviv through Dec. 31.
EASYJET (EZJ.L) The UK budget airline stopped flying to and from Tel Aviv in April and will resume flights on March 30.
EMIRATES UAE’s state-owned airline cancelled flights to Beirut through Oct. 31 and flights to Baghdad and Tehran until Oct. 23. Basra flights are set to resume from Oct. 17.
ETHIOPIAN AIRLINES The Ethiopian carrier suspended flights to Beirut until further notice, it said in a Facebook post on Oct. 4.
FLYDUBAI The Emirati airline suspended Dubai-Beirut flights until Oct. 31, a flydubai spokesperson said.
IAG (ICAG.L) IAG-owned British Airways cancelled flights to and from Tel Aviv through Oct. 26.
IAG’s low-cost airline Iberia Express cancelled flights to Tel Aviv until Oct. 31, while Vueling cancelled operations to Tel Aviv until Jan. 12 and to Amman until further notice.
IRAN AIR The Iranian airline cancelled Beirut flights until further notice.
IRAQI AIRWAYS The Iraqi national carrier suspended flights to Beirut until further notice.
ITA AIRWAYS Italy’s ITA Airways extended the suspension of Tel Aviv flights through Oct. 31.
LOT The Polish flag carrier cancelled flights to Tel Aviv until Oct. 26, while its first scheduled flight to Beirut is planned for April 1.
LUFTHANSA GROUP (LHAG.DE) The German airline group suspended flights to Tel Aviv until Oct. 31, to Tehran until Oct. 26 and to Beirut until Nov. 30.
It will not use Iranian and Iraqi airspace until further notice, aside from a corridor used for flights to and from Erbil in Iraqi Kurdistan. Israeli airspace will not be used until Oct. 31.
SunExpress, a joint venture between Lufthansa and Turkish Airlines (THYAO.IS) , suspended flights to Beirut through Dec. 17.
PEGASUS (PGSUS.IS) The Turkish airline cancelled flights to Beirut until Oct. 28.
QATAR AIRWAYS The Qatari airline temporarily suspended flights to and from Iraq, Iran and Lebanon, while flights to Amman will operate during daylight hours only.
RYANAIR (RYA.I) Europe’s biggest budget airline cancelled flights to and from Tel Aviv until the end of December. Group CEO Michael O’Leary on Oct. 3 said the suspension was likely to be extended until end-March.
SUNDAIR The German airline cancelled flights from Berlin, Bremen and Muenster/Osnabrueck to Beirut until Dec. 8.
UNITED AIRLINES (UAL.O) The Chicago-based airline suspended flights to Tel Aviv for the foreseeable future.
TAROM Romania’s flag carrier extended the suspension of Beirut flights until Oct. 22.
VIRGIN ATLANTIC The UK carrier extended suspension of Tel Aviv flights until end-March.
WIZZ AIR (WIZZ.L) The Hungary-based airline suspended Tel Aviv flights through Oct. 23 and flights between Amman and Italy, Hungary, Austria and Britain until Oct. 16.