Commercial aviation across West Asia was thrown into disarray on Monday as escalating military tensions forced airlines to cancel, divert or delay flights, with multiple countries shutting or restricting their airspace. Flight tracking data showed widespread disruption as security concerns mounted across the Gulf region.
Flights Diverted, Airspace Under Watch
According to Flightradar24, two Etihad Airways flights headed for Abu Dhabi were rerouted to Muscat. An Emirates aircraft scheduled to land in Dubai appeared to turn back toward Mumbai mid-journey.
Flights bound for King Khalid International Airport were either placed in holding patterns or returned to their origin cities after reports of an incident near the US Embassy in Riyadh.
The disruptions followed reports of Iranian retaliatory strikes targeting multiple sites across the Gulf, prompting precautionary airspace curbs.
UAE Begins Limited Evacuations
Amid the uncertainty, a small number of evacuation flights departed from Dubai and Abu Dhabi, enabling some stranded passengers to exit the United Arab Emirates. However, most regular commercial operations across the region remained suspended.
The U.S. Department of State issued an urgent advisory asking American citizens in 13 countries, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, Lebanon and Oman, to “depart now via commercial means due to serious safety risks.”
Despite the warning, reduced flight availability and continuing airspace restrictions have limited travel options.
Thousands Of Flights Impacted
Aviation activity has sharply declined since hostilities intensified following US and Israeli strikes on Iran and Tehran’s subsequent retaliation.
Airspace over Iran, Iraq and Israel remained shut on Monday. Jordan enforced a temporary closure from the afternoon, while Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia introduced partial or time-bound restrictions that could be extended depending on the security situation.
Airlines said they are closely monitoring developments, with further cancellations and diversions likely if tensions persist.
