Airspace closure halts many Middle East flights after attacks

Qatar Airways said it was temporarily suspending all flights while Dubai-based Emirates said its Dubai flights were halted. “We apologise to customers affected by disruptions for any inconvenience caused, and we are assisting them with rebooking, refunds, or alternative travel arrangements,” Emirates said, in a statement. “The safety and security of our passengers and crew remain our highest priority.”

Airspace was closed over Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar, according to Flightradar24.

Air India said it was suspending all Middle East flights on Saturday. Lufthansa Group said it has suspended flights to Israel, Lebanon, Jordan Iraq, and Tehran until March 7. It also said it would reroute some of its flights to avoid airspace in the area.

United Airlines, which serves Tel Aviv and Dubai put travel waivers in place for customers affected by the airspace closures.

Airlines have periodically canceled flights and skirted parts of the Middle East because of security concerns. The airspace closures also mean airlines have to longer routes to other destinations that previously transited the area, requiring them to use more fuel.