Airlines suspend flights as Middle East tensions rise
A number of airlines from the Middle East, United States, Europe, and Asia have suspended flights to Lebanon following Israeli escalations in the country.
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
The Greek airline cancelled flights to and from Beirut until October 31 and to and from Tel Aviv until October 6.
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 October 31.
AIR EUROPA
The Spanish airline cancelled flights to Tel Aviv until October. 7.
AIR FRANCE-KLM
Air France on Sept. 30 suspended Paris-Tel Aviv and Paris-Beirutflights until Oct. 8. KLM extended the suspension of flights to Tel Aviv until the end of this year at least, the carrier said on October 1.
The Franco-Dutch group's low-cost unit Transavia cancelled flights to and from Tel Aviv until March 31, 2025, and flights to Amman and Beirut until Nov. 3.
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 October 15.
CATHAY PACIFIC
Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific cancelled all flights to Tel Aviv until March 27, 2025.
EASYJET
The UK budget airline stopped flying to and from Tel Aviv in April and will resume flights on March 30, 2025, a spokesperson said.
EMIRATES
UAE's state-owned airline cancelled flights between Dubai and Beirut until October 8.
ETIHAD AIRWAYS
Abu Dhabi's Etihad Airways said it was re-routing a number of its flights on October 2 in response to airspace restrictions in parts of the Middle East.
FLYDUBAI
The Emirati airline on Sept. 30 cancelled Dubai-Beirut flights until October 7. It also cancelled flights to Jordan, Iraq, Israel and Iran on October 2-3 due to the temporary closure of a number of air spaces.
IAG
IAG-owned British Airways cancelled flights to and from Tel Aviv through October 7, the airline said in an e-mailed comment.
Spanish low-cost carrier Vueling cancelled operations to Tel Aviv until January 12, 2025, while flights to Amman were cancelled until further notice.
IRAN AIR
The Iranian airline cancelled all flights to Beirut until further notice, a company spokesman told local media on September 28.
IRAQI AIRWAYS
The Iraqi national carrier suspended flights to and from Beirut until further notice, Iraq’s transportation ministry said on September 27.
ITA AIRWAYS
Italy’s ITA Airways extended the suspension of Tel Aviv flights through October 31.
LOT
The Polish flag carrier suspended flights to Lebanon until further notice, it said in an emailed comment on September 20.
LUFTHANSA GROUP
The German airline group suspended flights to Tel Aviv until October 31 while flights to Tehran have been suspended through October 26. Flights to Beirut will be suspended until November 30.
It said it will avoid Iranian, Iraqi and Jordanian airspace up to and including October 2 amid an escalation of an armed conflict in the Middle East, suspending flights to and from Amman and Erbil.
PEGASUS
The Turkish airline cancelled flights to Beirut until October 7, a company spokesperson said.
Royal Jordanian
Jordan’s Civil Aviation Regulatory Commission announced it had suspended flights operated by Jordanian carriers to Beirut until further notice.
The suspension of flights operated by Jordanian airlines to Beirut will likely result in the cancellation of Royal Jordanian and other Jordanian-operated flights from Queen Alia International Airport, serving Amman, to Beirut until the incidence of cross-border fire between Israel and the Hezbollah declines.
RYANAIR
Europe’s biggest budget airline cancelled flights to and from Tel Aviv until October 26.
QATAR AIRWAYS
The Qatari airline temporarily suspended flights to and from Beirut until further notice.
SUNDAIR
The German airline cancelled Berlin-Beirut and Bremen-Beirut flights until October 31.
UNITED AIRLINES
The Chicago-based airline suspended flights to Tel Aviv for the foreseeable future due to security reasons.
WIZZ AIR
The Hungary-based airline temporarily suspended flights to and from Israel through October 3, it said in an emailed statement.