UAE travel: Iran extends flight cancellations until Thursday amid escalating tensions with Israel
UAE, Gulf carriers have cancelled flights to Iraq and Jordan as well
Dubai: Iran’s Civil Aviation Organisation announced Wednesday that all flights will remain cancelled until Thursday at 4.30 pm (UAE time) following Tehran’s missile strikes on Israel, semi-official Tasnim news agency reported.
In response to rising tensions in the region, most UAE and Gulf carriers have cancelled flights to Iran. Dubai carriers Emirates and flydubai cancelled flights to Iran operating on October 2 and 3. The airlines have also cancelled all flights to and from Iraq (Basra and Baghdad) and Jordan (Amman) for the next two days.
“Customers transiting through Dubai with final destinations in Iraq, Iran, and Jordan will not be accepted for travel at their point of origin until further notice,” Emirates said in a statement.
The airline said it is closely monitoring the situation in the region and is in contact with relevant authorities regarding any developments. The airline operates 15 flights per week between Dubai and Tehran.
Meanwhile, flydubai said it has cancelled its flights to Iran, Iraq, Israel and Jordan on October 2 and 3. "Passengers connecting via Dubai to these destinations will not be accepted for travel at their point of origin. This is a developing situation and we continue to monitor closely and amend our flight schedule accordingly," flydubai said.
"flydubai operates within flight paths approved by our regulator. The safety of our passengers and crew is our top priority. We are in contact with our customers whose travel plans have been affected," the airline said.
Doha-based Qatar Airways has also temporarily suspended flights to and from Iraq and Iran.
Iran launched the strikes in retaliation for Israel’s campaign against Hezbollah allies in Lebanon, and Israel has vowed a ‘painful response’ against its enemy.
Immediately after the attacks late Tuesday night, flights diverted to ‘anywhere they could,’ a spokesperson for tracking service FlightRadar24 told Reuters. A snapshot of traffic in the region showed flights spreading in wide arcs to the north and south, with many converging on Cairo and Istanbul.