Airlines rerouted, diverted or suspended services across West Asia as multiple countries closed their airspace amid escalating regional tensions linked to strikes involving Iran. The disruption affected both flights serving the region and aircraft that would ordinarily cross it en route to other destinations.
As historical context, the closures and airline responses were reported on February 28, 2026. Gulf News said the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Kuwait were among Gulf countries that closed their airspace following airstrikes on Iran. Separately, Hindustan Times reported restrictions affecting Iranian, Israeli and Iraqi airspace, creating a wider set of unavailable corridors for civilian aviation.
Carriers revise operations
IndiGo said it was monitoring developments concerning Iran and Iranian airspace and was prepared to adjust operations as circumstances changed. The airline asked customers to confirm their flight status before travelling to the airport and said any effects would be communicated through passengers’ registered contact details.
Air India altered a specific service after Israel closed its airspace. The carrier said AI139, operating from Delhi to Tel Aviv on February 28, was returning to India in the interest of passenger and crew safety. Hindustan Times reported that the flight was diverted to Mumbai. Air India said it would continue assessing the safety and security conditions relevant to its services and change operations when needed.
The consequences extended beyond Indian airlines. Russia’s transport ministry said Russian carriers had suspended flights to Iran and Israel because of the closures. Alternative routings were prepared for services to Gulf destinations, although the ministry warned that longer diversions would increase journey times.
Dubai-based flydubai also said some services were affected by the temporary closure of Iraqi, Iranian and Israeli airspace. Flightradar24 shared images indicating that civilian aircraft were absent from the conflict zones and said simultaneous restrictions were disrupting multiple airlines and routes.
The closures had overlapping operational effects. A flight did not need to originate or terminate in a restricted country to be affected because airlines also use regional airspace as a transit corridor. Removing several adjoining areas from normal operations left carriers seeking longer alternatives, diverting aircraft already in service or suspending flights where an acceptable route was unavailable.
The Gulf closures added another layer to those constraints. With the UAE, Qatar and Kuwait among the states reported to have shut their airspace, disruption was not limited to the areas directly associated with the strikes. The available evidence did not specify reopening times for the affected airspaces or provide a complete tally of cancelled, diverted or delayed flights. Airline statements instead emphasized active monitoring, operational adjustments and direct status checks by passengers while the restrictions remained in place.
