Airspace closures throughout the Middle East ground, divert flights as Iran launches drone attack on Israel

The decision to close airspace comes ahead of reports that Iran launched a drone strike on Israel.

Konoly Konoly
Apr 14, 2024 - 21:04
0 34
Airspace closures throughout the Middle East ground, divert flights as Iran launches drone attack on Israel

Flightradar24 over the Middle East on April 14th, 2024 after Iran launched drone strikes towards Israel.

Source: Flightradar24

Airspace reopened throughout the Middle East on Sunday, but dozens of flights were canceled after Iran attacked Israel with drones and missiles overnight.

Some flights avoided large swaths of airspace in the Middle East, reroutes that delayed some planes.

Israel's El Al canceled more than 20 Sunday flights. Two El Al flights headed for Israel from Thailand on Saturday had diverted to Bangkok. The carrier told passengers not to come to the Tel Aviv airport until notified.

Emirates Airline canceled its Dubai-Amman flight, which was scheduled for Sunday. Air France and British Airways canceled Tel Aviv flights on Sunday. British Airways also scrubbed a flight to Amman.

A flight information board displaying cancellations in the arrival terminal of Ben Gurion airport on the morning after a drone and missile attack from Iran, near Tel Aviv, Israel on Sunday, April 14, 2024.

Kobi Wolf | Bloomberg | Getty Images

Lufthansa canceled its service to and from Tel Aviv, Erbil, Iraq and Amman through Monday and plans to resume service on Tuesday, though its Beruit and Tehran flights are suspended until at least Thursday, it said.

United Airlines, which resumed service to Tel Aviv early last month after suspending Israel flights after the Hamas attacks in October, called off its Newark to Tel Aviv flights on Saturday and Sunday after Israel briefly closed its airspace. Jordan and Iraq had also closed their airspace.

"We are closely monitoring the situation and will make decisions on upcoming flights with a focus on the safety of our customers and crews," United said in a statement. The carrier is the only U.S. airline to have resumed service to Israel since October.

Passengers in the departure terminal in Ben Gurion airport on the morning after a drone and missile attack from Iran, near Tel Aviv, Israel on Sunday, April 14, 2024. 

Kobi Wolf | Bloomberg | Getty Images

Delta was scheduled to restart flights to Tel Aviv on June. 7. American Airlines has not resumed Israeli service. The carrier canceled its Philadelphia-to-Doha flight on Saturday, but the Sunday departure was still scheduled.

United also canceled its flights from Washington Dulles International Airport to Amman, Jordan on Saturday night and from Newkark to Dubai, "due to unrest in the Middle East." However, the Dubai departure was still listed as scheduled on Sunday.

Flight-tracking site Flightradar24 said multiple flights bound for Tel Aviv and Amman had diverted on Saturday.