- Qatar: Closed airspace following Iranian missile attack on U.S. base in Doha. Qatar airspace is now open and flights are landing at Doha as of June 24.
- UAE: Temporarily shut its airspace; flights have resumed, using alternative routes.
- Bahrain: Closed airspace from 16:45 UTC; first flights began departing again after around seven hours.
- Kuwait: Announced full airspace closure until further notice citing national security; status remains restricted.
On June 23, 2025, Gulf airspace closures triggered another wave of major international flight disruptions after Iran fired missiles at the U.S. Al Udeid military base in Doha. Qatar Airways and Emirates, among other Gulf carriers were heavily impacted.
With airspace over Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates closing within hours of each other, air traffic across the region plummeted. As a result, Doha (DOH) and Dubai (DXB) saw numerous flight cancellations and diversions, forcing airlines to reroute aircraft through longer paths and avoid conflict zones.
Dubai Airports confirmed a brief suspension of services on Monday, warning of continued delays despite resuming limited operations later in the day. Qatar’s skies, still largely closed, remain a congestion point for east–west air corridors.
Airline Responses and Route Changes
Airlines across Asia, Europe, and North America responded quickly to the evolving crisis, with several suspending operations outright and others rerouting long-haul flights to avoid the restricted region.
- Air India: India’s national carrier took one of the boldest steps, halting all operations to the Middle East, Eastern North America, and Europe. The airline cited the narrowing safe corridors and rising conflict risk. Multiple flights were turned back or diverted mid-journey.
- Etihad Airways: The Abu Dhabi-based airline said it was rerouting several flights on June 23 and 24 due to regional airspace closures.
- Air India Express: Diverted Doha-bound flights. Confirmed no active aircraft were in Qatari airspace or on the ground in Qatar at the time of the closures.
- Singapore Airlines: Suspended all Dubai services through Wednesday, June 25, with further cancellations expected if instability persists.
- EgyptAir: Suspended flights to Gulf destinations until the situation stabilizes.
- British Airways, Iberia (IAG), and Air France-KLM: All suspended flights to Doha and Dubai on June 23. Air France also halted flights to Riyadh and Beirut through midweek.
- Finnair: Cancelled all flights to Doha until at least June 30, citing persistent airspace risks.
- Air Astana: Kazakhstan’s flag carrier cancelled services to both Doha and Dubai on Sunday and Monday.
- American Airlines, United Airlines, and Air Canada: Had already suspended flights to Qatar and the UAE earlier this month following the start of regional hostilities. No services have resumed yet.
- Qatar Airways: About two dozen flights to and from Doha were diverted on Monday, according to Cirium. Hamad International Airport passengers reported last-minute cancellations and stranded travelers waiting for updates.
Rerouted Flight Paths
With conflict zones expanding, airlines are being forced into more extreme detours:
- Northern paths via the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, and Central Asia
- Southern routes over Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and occasionally Eritrea or the Horn of Africa
Moreover, long-haul flights including Qantas QF9 (Perth–London) were affected, diverting to Singapore mid-route. QF33 also reversed course.
GPS Spoofing Concerns
Beyond missiles and closures, technical disruptions have become a growing concern. Swiss firm SkAI reported over 150 GPS spoofing incidents across the Persian Gulf in just 24 hours, where aircraft receive false location data from malicious ground sources. This increases the risk of route deviation and mid-air navigational errors.
By late Monday, flights began departing Bahrain, and movement resumed over parts of the UAE. However, Qatar and Kuwait remain largely restricted. Airlines are operating cautiously, and some have announced further delays into Tuesday and Wednesday.
Images via FlightRadar24, Radar Box