Air France suspends service to Dubai as KLM halts Middle East flights

At least two European airlines suspended flights to cities in the Middle East on Friday. Air France said it would temporarily stop service to Dubai due to the escalating geopolitical situation.

Dutch airline KLM also suspended flights until further notice to several Middle Eastern cities and will avoid the airspace of countries including Iraq and Iran, according to the Netherlands’ state broadcaster.

President Donald Trump said on Thursday that a US “armada” was heading toward the Gulf and that Washington was closely monitoring Iran, even after downplaying the prospect of imminent military action. He noted that Tehran appeared interested in talks.

Air France: Safety first

“Due to the current situation in the Middle East, the company has decided to temporarily suspend its service to Dubai,” Air France said in a statement to AFP. The airline added it was “constantly monitoring the evolution of the geopolitical situation in the territories served and overflown by its aircraft” to ensure “the highest level of safety and security” for its flights.

“Air France is monitoring the situation in real time and will provide further updates on its flight schedule,” the airline confirmed.

KLM response

KLM told Dutch public broadcaster NOS that it had suspended flights until further notice to Tel Aviv, Dubai, Dammam, and Riyadh and would not fly through the airspace of Iraq, Iran, Israel, and several Gulf countries.

The airline did not disclose the reason for the suspensions but confirmed it was coordinating with Dutch authorities.

Lufthansa suspends flights

Germany’s Lufthansa will not operate flights to or from Tehran until March 29, a company spokeswoman confirmed. Austrian Airlines, also part of the Lufthansa Group, will refrain from flying to Tehran until at least February 16.

While the group plans to bypass Iranian airspace, it will use a corridor through Iraq starting January 20, avoiding Iranian skies entirely. The EU Aviation Safety Agency has advised airlines to steer clear of Iranian airspace amid threats of US military action.

Tensions with Iran continue

Trump has repeatedly threatened US strikes on Iran over its crackdown on recent protests. The prospect of military action appeared to recede last week after the White House said Tehran had halted planned executions of demonstrators, but Trump confirmed ongoing military preparations.

“You know we have a lot of ships going that direction, just in case… We have a big force going toward Iran,” he said.