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Commercial airlines across the globe are currently evaluating the duration of their flight suspensions to the Middle East following US military actions in Iran.
Singapore Airlines, a prominent player in the Asian market, described the situation as “fluid” and announced the cancellation of flights from Singapore to Dubai after conducting a security review.
The routes through the Middle East have gained significance for connecting Europe and Asia since airspace closures over Russia and Ukraine due to the ongoing crisis. However, data from flight tracking service FlightRadar24 indicated that air traffic over Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Israel has significantly decreased.
Air France KLM announced the cancellation of flights to and from Dubai and Riyadh on both Sunday and Monday.
British Airways, which is part of IAG, also cancelled its flights to Dubai and Doha on Sunday. The airline stated it was continuously assessing the situation concerning upcoming flights.
The increase in missile and drone activities in various conflict zones poses a significant risk to airline operations. Safe Airspace, an organization monitoring flight risks, cautioned that the US strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities could escalate dangers for American airlines operating in the region.
Airlines: cancellations and oil price worries
Prior to the US strikes, American Airlines halted flights to Qatar, while United Airlines suspended services to Dubai.
Airlines are also expressing concerns about a possible rise in oil prices as a consequence of the US military actions, which would drive up jet fuel expenses.
Meanwhile, Israel is increasing its flight services to assist stranded travelers both domestically and internationally.
The Israeli Airports Authority indicated that it would boost its “rescue flights” to 24 daily, with each flight limited to 50 passengers.
On Sunday, Israeli carrier El Al revealed that it had received requests for exit from around 25,000 individuals within just one day.