Airlines across the United Arab Emirates have experienced a shake in their schedules this weekend in the face of rising tension between Iran and Israel.
Emirates, Etihad, and flydubai have decided to reroute some and cancel others due to airspace closures over Jordan, Israel, Lebanon, and Iraq this weekend. On Sunday, the nation's flag carrier, Etihad, canceled direct services to Tel Aviv and neighboring Amman, Jordan.
Flights to North America and Europe have also been affected, with several of these services being rerouted to avoid the 'at risk' airspace. The airlines have reiterated to booked travelers that while last-minute changes are expected to disrupt travel plans, they continue to prioritize safety. Etihad was published through The National stating:
“Etihad Airways flights only operate through approved airspace. Safety is always our highest priority, and we would never have operated a flight unless it was safe.”
Emirates, flydubai, and Wizz Air
The other major carriers across the UAE are feeling the ripples through their networks in the face of closed airspace, with Dubai bohemouth, Emirates advising that multiple flights had been canceled and others rerouted. Sunday saw flydubai cancel various services, and Wizz Air Abu Dhabi canceled its direct services to Israel on Sunday.
In a post shared by Flightradar24, it can be seen that the skies above Iran will see limited traffic in the coming days. With many flights being redirected over Saudi Arabia and Egypt, this is expected to add several hours to the usual journey time.
Airspace reopened
Sunday morning saw airspace reopen over Tel Aviv, with Air Seychelles being the first airline to touch down at Ben Gurion Airport (TLV). The city also saw three flights depart on El Al, bound for Prague, Athens, and Larnaca. Neighboring country Jordan's airspace is now online; however, the flag carrier, Royal Jordanian, has emphasized that delays are expected throughout the day.
Middle Eastern Airlines, which calls Beirut, Lebanon home, has published it will postpone most of its services across Sunday, except for five European-bound services to (Paris x 2, Frankfurt, Dusseldorf, and Rome).
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