US-Israel attacks on Iran torpedo Middle East flight network, airspace ‘virtually empty’

An intensifying Middle East conflict after the US-Israel strikes on Iran have wiped air traffic from the region and put flight plans of millions into a disarray. With the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei confirmed by state media, there are no signs of a let-up in the hostilities, with Iran vowing revenge, and US President Donald Trump warning against any such action. Maps by flight-tracking service Flightradar24 showed that airspace over Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Israel, Bahrain, the UAE and Qatar remained virtually empty. The threat of air strikes also kept major Middle Eastern airports, including Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha, shut or severely restricted. > Current flight status from official X accounts.@emirates – Suspended all operations to and from Dubai, up until 15:00 UAE time on Monday, 2 March.@qatarairways – Will resume operations once the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority announces the safe reopening of Qatari airspace. A… pic.twitter.com/mkrPIKY3C2 — Flightradar24 (@flightradar24) March 1, 2026 Current flight status from official X accounts.@emirates – Suspended all operations to and from Dubai, up until 15:00 UAE time on Monday, 2 March.@qatarairways – Will resume operations once the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority announces the safe reopening of Qatari airspace. A… pic.twitter.com/mkrPIKY3C2 — Flightradar24 (@flightradar24) March 1, 2026 Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu also warned of more attacks in the coming days. In a video post on X, he said: “Our forces are now striking at the heart of Tehran with intensifying force, and this will only grow even stronger in the coming days.” Much of Middle East’s airspace remained closed a day after the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran. ### ✈️ Global Airlines Suspend Flights — Middle East Airspace Crisis Airline | Suspension Details | Until Aegean Airlines🇬🇷 Greece | Suspended flights to/from Tel Aviv, Beirut & Erbil (Israel, Lebanon, Iraq) | Mar 2 Air Astana🇰🇿 Kazakhstan | Cancelled all flights to the Middle East | Mar 3 Air Canada🇨🇦 Canada | Cancelled flights to Israel until Mar 8; flights to Dubai until Mar 3 | Mar 8 Air Europa🇪🇸 Spain | Cancelled flights to Tel Aviv on Sunday & Monday; monitoring situation | Monitoring Air France / KLM🇫🇷🇳🇱 France / Netherlands | Air France cancelled Tel Aviv & Beirut for Saturday. KLM cancelled Dubai, Dammam & Riyadh weekend flights; suspended Amsterdam–Tel Aviv | Mar 2 Air India🇮🇳 India | Cancelled Sunday flights from Delhi, Mumbai & Amritsar to London, New York, Chicago, Toronto, Frankfurt, Paris. Additional cancellations to Birmingham, Amsterdam, Zurich, Milan, Vienna, Copenhagen | Ongoing Azerbaijan Airlines🇦🇿 Azerbaijan | Suspended flights to/from Dubai, Doha, Jeddah & Tel Aviv | TBC British Airways🇬🇧 United Kingdom | Cancelled flights to Tel Aviv & Bahrain; also cancelled flight to Amman on Saturday | Mar 3 Cathay Pacific🇭🇰 Hong Kong | Suspended passenger flights to/from Dubai & Riyadh; also freighter service at Al Maktoum Airport | TBC Emirates🇦🇪 UAE | Suspended all operations to/from Dubai due to multiple regional airspace closures | Mar 2, 3PM Etihad🇦🇪 UAE | Suspended all flights departing Abu Dhabi | Mar 2, 2PM flydubai🇦🇪 UAE | Temporarily suspended all flights to/from Dubai | Mar 2, 3PM Iberia Express🇪🇸 Spain | Cancelled flight to Tel Aviv on Saturday (5 PM local) | Saturday IndiGo🇮🇳 India | Extended temporary suspension of select international flights using Middle East airspace | Mar 3 ITA Airways🇮🇹 Italy | Suspended Tel Aviv & Dubai; avoiding airspace of Israel, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq & Iran | Mar 7 Japan Airlines🇯🇵 Japan | Cancelled Tokyo Haneda–Doha flight on Saturday & return on March 1 | Mar 1 LOT Polish Airlines🇵🇱 Poland | Suspended flights to Tel Aviv until Mar 15; cancelled Dubai & Riyadh until Mar 2 | Mar 15 Lufthansa🇩🇪 Germany | Suspended Tel Aviv, Beirut & Oman until Mar 7; Dubai Sat–Sun. Avoiding Israeli, Lebanese, Jordanian, Iraqi & Iranian airspace until Mar 7 | Mar 7 Norwegian Air🇳🇴 Norway | Suspended all flights to/from Dubai | Mar 4 Pegasus Airlines🇹🇷 Turkey | Cancelled flights to Iran, Iraq, Jordan & Lebanon | Mar 2 Qatar Airways🇶🇦 Qatar | Flights temporarily suspended due to closure of Qatari airspace; awaiting QCAA clearance | TBC Scandinavian Airlines🇸🇪 Scandinavia | Suspended Copenhagen–Tel Aviv flight on Saturday | Reviewing Turkish Airlines🇹🇷 Turkey | Cancelled Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, UAE & Oman on Saturday; Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Iran & Jordan until Mar 2 | Mar 2 Virgin Atlantic🇬🇧 United Kingdom | Avoiding Iraqi airspace; cancelled VS400 London Heathrow–Dubai on Saturday | Rerouting Wizz Air🇭🇺 Hungary | Halted flights to/from Israel, Dubai, Abu Dhabi & Amman with immediate effect | Mar 7 The Express Global Desk at The Indian Express delivers authoritative, verified, and context-driven coverage of key international developments shaping global politics, policy, and migration trends. 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