Global air travel is facing major disruption as escalating conflict in the Middle East forces airlines to reroute flights between Europe and Asia.
With Iranian, Iraqi, Israeli, and Jordanian airspace now closed, many carriers are redirecting traffic through Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Central Asia.
The airspace closures follow a missile strike near Tel Aviv on May 4 by Yemen’s Houthi rebels and rising tensions in the region. Russia’s aviation authority has also banned its airlines from flying over affected countries until June 26.
Airlines including Air India, Lufthansa, Emirates, Qatar Airways, and FlyDubai have cancelled or diverted multiple flights, citing safety concerns.
The situation has rattled airline stocks globally, with major carriers like IAG, Delta, and Ryanair reporting drops of up to 4.6%.
Aviation risk experts warn that the crowded skies in the region pose heightened danger, especially as commercial planes share airspace with drones and missiles.
