With ongoing tensions in the Middle East, numerous airlines have cancelled and avoided destinations in countries currently at war. Emirates, however, remains optimistic that some of these countries are safe to travel to and from again.

The Stop-And-Go Airline

UAE-based airline Emirates made several moves over the past few days. While the airline announced on Tuesday that operations to and from Iran would resume shortly, that announcement has since been deleted from the website.

Emirates later posted another update stating that flights involving Tehran, Iran will "remain cancelled" until October 15. Flights that were scheduled to take place Tuesday have also been cancelled.

"Customers transiting through Dubai with final destinations in Iran will not be accepted for travel until October 15,” the airline reported.

The airline also states that operations to and from Beirut, Lebanon will remain suspended until October 15. In a previous update, the airline projected that October 8 would be the date flights to Lebanon would resume, but federal organizations have since disapproved of lifting these suspensions for the time being.

On October 4 and 5, Emirates announced cancellations of flights to Iraq, Iran, and Jordan with "regional unrest" being the root cause. Details about the cancellations state:

"Customers transiting through Dubai with final destinations in Iraq (Baghdad & Basra) and Iran (Tehran) will not be accepted for travel at their point of origin up to and including 16 October 2024."
 

Emirates urges customers scheduled for affected flights to contact the airline's customer service or their travel or booking agents for alternative flights.

Updates From the Dubai Competition

Emirates rival Flydubai reported cancellations for flights involving Iraq, Iran, Jordan, and Israel on October 2 and 3  until further notice. Flydubai has also halted flights to and from Lebanon until October 31. The airline stated to media outlets that officials will continue to monitor the situation and make changes to flights accordingly.

Etihad Airways, based in Abu Dhabi, stated that services to Lebanon would remain closed until October 11, and had since resumed flights to Amman, Jordan, and Tel Aviv, Israel. The airline also states that flights are being strategically rerouted to oblige to "airspace restrictions" and avoid flying over countries currently in conflict.

International airlines Qatar Airways has cancelled many flights to and from Iraq, Iran, and Lebanon on October 8. No timetable has been given for when flights are expected to resume. The airline is, however, among the airlines that are assisting Australian travelers out of Lebanon and the Middle East.

Around the world, over two dozen international airlines currently have suspended flights to Middle Eastern nations currently in conflict. Some of these suspensions last as long as until late March 2025. Notable airlines that have refrained from flying to the Middle East currently include Delta, United, RyanAir, and EasyJet.