By PPTVHD36 and Hindustan Times
PASSENGERS are urged to check with their airline before departure as many have cancelled flights or changed routes after several Middle Eastern countries either closed their airspace or restricted air traffic as US and Israel have launched waves of strikes against targets in Iranian cities while Iran retaliated by mounting missile attacks.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) said the Israeli government has announced the closure of its airspace for all civilian flights and requested that citizens avoid travelling to airports in the country until further notice. Meanwhile, Iranian authorities have also closed their nationwide airspace as a security measure.
Similarly, other countries in the region have either shut or reduced air traffic and among them are United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Kuwait, with all three having partially closed their airspace as a precautionary measure.
“Passengers planning to travel during this period, especially on routes to Europe, the Middle East, or those requiring connecting flights in a third country, should closely follow information from their airlines and check the flight status before departure,” CAAT said.
CAAT also advised passengers to check their rights with their airlines beforehand, as other countries may not have the same passenger protection laws as Thailand. However, passengers departing from Thailand will be protected by relevant regulations, such as the right to assistance in case of flight delays or cancellations.
To ensure full protection of their rights, passengers who encounter problems with the service can file a complaint via complaint.caat.or.th.
Airlines across Europe, the Middle East and Asia have announced cancellations, suspensions and route changes as airspace closures spread. Several carriers cited safety concerns, while others issued advisories warning of longer flight times and possible disruptions.
From single-day cancellations to week-long suspensions, airlines said they are closely monitoring the evolving security situation and are prepared to make further adjustments as needed. Below is the list of airlines that have so far announced cancellations or advisories.
Flights cancelled, suspended or rerouted so far:
Emirates
Emirates Airlines has said that operations from Dubai Airport are temporarily suspended due to airspace closure in the region.
PIA
Pakistan’s national carrier, PIA, has suspended its flights to the Middle East.
Iberia Express
Cancelled its Tel Aviv flight scheduled for Saturday evening after the strikes. The airline said cancellations currently apply only to Saturday, with further updates to follow. A separate Madrid flight was forced to turn back after Doha airspace was closed, Reuters reported.
Virgin Atlantic
Temporarily stopped using Iraqi airspace and cancelled its London Heathrow-Dubai service for Saturday as a precaution. The airline said passenger and crew safety remains its top priority.
KLM
Brought forward the suspension of its Amsterdam-Tel Aviv service, cancelling the only flight scheduled for Saturday. The airline is assessing whether more regional flights will be affected.
Wizz Air
Halted all flights to and from Israel, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Amman until March 7, with immediate effect. The airline said schedules may change depending on developments.
Russian Ministry of Transport / Russian airlines
Suspended all flights to Iran and Israel following the closure of their respective airspaces. Authorities said alternative routes to Gulf countries have been planned, though flight durations will increase.
CAPTIONS:
Top – Check how many airlines have been affected so far after Iran, Israel, Iraq, the UAE, Jordan and Syria shut down their airspaces. Representative image by AFP and published by Hindustan Times
Front Page – A young woman checking her flight. Photo by Jan Vasek from Pixabay
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