The rapidly escalating conflict between Israel and Iran is having a significant impact on global air travel, particularly on flights between Europe, West Asia, and South Asia.
The closure of vital airspace over countries such as Iran, Iraq, and Israel has forced airlines to reroute their flights, resulting in longer journey times, higher fuel consumption, and consequently, more expensive tickets.
The airspace restrictions have been a response to growing tensions after missile attacks launched by Iran on Israel, leading airlines to prioritise passenger safety by avoiding the affected areas.
How has the conflict impacted global aviation?
Several major airlines, including British Airways, Emirates, and Deutsche Lufthansa, have already adjusted their flight paths. On October 1, as rockets were fired at Israel by Iranian forces, carriers began diverting their routes away from Iraqi airspace.
By that evening, flight paths showed planes rerouting via Saudi Arabia and Egypt, bypassing Iran and Iraq, according to FlightRadar24.
These diversions have affected not just carriers in the conflict-ridden region but also European and Asian airlines that fly over the region to connect to destinations in India, Southeast Asia, and Europe.
Airspace at 18:30 UTC, October 1, 2024. X/flightradar24
According to an Emirates spokesperson, “We are closely monitoring the situation and are making all efforts to ensure minimal disruption to customers while assisting those impacted.”
Etihad Airways echoed similar concerns, stating that it is rerouting flights to avoid airspace closures and ensuring passenger safety by continuously monitoring the evolving situation.
How have the disruptions affected flights in India?
Lufthansa faced significant disruptions when its flights from Frankfurt to Hyderabad and Mumbai had to return to Germany mid-flight on Tuesday, after Iran launched missile attacks on Israel.
Both flights, LH 752 and LH 756, turned back over Turkey. Lufthansa subsequently cancelled the return flights to India, leaving passengers stranded. A Lufthansa spokesperson confirmed, “Due to the current security situation, we are no longer flying through the airspaces of Iraq, Iran, and Jordan.”
The rerouting of flights to avoid the conflict zone has resulted in an increase in travel times of up to eight hours for some flights, particularly affecting routes to India and Dubai.
SWISS, another major carrier, has also announced changes to its flight plans. The airline stated that it will bypass Iranian, Iraqi, and Jordanian airspace until at least the end of October. “This will increase flight times by up to 15 minutes on our Dubai, India, and Southeast Asia services,” SWISS said in a statement.
A Zurich-Dubai flight was forced to divert to Antalya, Turkey, where it refuelled before continuing its journey.
Air India has also been impacted, although it has managed to avoid major disruptions. “All our flights are assessed daily for any potential security or safety risks, whether it is in the Middle East or any other part of our route network,” an Air India official said. “Adjustments are made, if required, to avoid areas of risk with minimal impact on our non-stop operations.”
Why will flights get pricier?
The airspace closures are leading to increased fuel consumption and longer flight durations, which in turn are driving up operational costs for airlines. These additional costs will likely be passed on to passengers in the form of higher ticket prices.
Rerouting flights through alternative airspaces, such as over the Sinai Peninsula and Saudi Arabia, adds hundreds of kilometres to certain routes, pushing up fuel costs significantly.
Diversions after Iranian rocket attack and subsequent airspace closures on 1 October 2024.
🔀 81 diverted flights
✈️ 16 airlines
🛬 26 airports pic.twitter.com/c6SCoL8idB— Flightradar24 (@flightradar24) October 2, 2024
Emirates and Qatar Airways have temporarily suspended flights to Iraq and Iran, and in some cases, have cancelled flights altogether. In total, 81 flights from 16 airlines were diverted in the first days following Iran’s missile strikes on Israel, according to FlightRadar24 data.
Emirates getting creative with diversion airports as Cairo, Antalya, and others fill up. Flights diverting away from closed Iraqi airspace are stopping for fuel and generally continuing via Egypt/Saudi Arabia. https://t.co/EPCOrV6nuU pic.twitter.com/XV8EKtYbpI
— Flightradar24 (@flightradar24) October 1, 2024
Qatar Airways has also suspended flights to Iraq and Iran due to airspace closures. The effect is particularly pronounced at Istanbul Airport, where 19 flights were diverted, making it one of the most affected hubs in the region.
Airspace restrictions in West Asia could persist as long as tensions remain high. Iran has already extended the closure of its airspace in anticipation of Israeli retaliation, and other regional airspaces, such as Jordan’s and Iraq’s, remain subject to intermittent closures depending on the security situation.
Has this happened before?
This situation bears resemblance to the disruptions caused by the closure of Russian airspace following its invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Airlines such as Japan Airlines, British Airways, and Finnair were forced to add up to four hours of flight time to avoid Russian airspace.
Similar patterns are now emerging with the closure of airspace in West Asia. Flights that previously relied on direct routes through Iranian and Iraqi airspace between Europe and India or Southeast Asia are now being forced to take longer detours, pushing operational costs even higher.
For passengers, these diversions mean longer travel times and potential delays, particularly for flights to and from India. As of now, most airlines recommend that travellers keep track of their flight status via airline apps and websites. It’s also advisable to monitor flight paths on platforms like FlightRadar24 to anticipate any deviations.
With inputs from agencies
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