Foreign airlines turn to Pakistan amid Middle East airspace closures
Major global carriers reroute flights as Iran-Israel conflict reshapes aviation corridors
DUBAI: Pakistan has emerged as a key lifeline for international aviation, offering a vital corridor to several foreign airlines rerouting around closed Middle Eastern airspace.
With Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Israel shutting their skies amid ongoing regional conflict, many airlines have turned to Pakistan’s fully operational airspace to sustain their international routes.
The latest escalation between Iran and Israel, beginning last Friday (June 13), has caused a significant disruption in regional air travel. In response to heightened security risks, the airspaces of multiple countries, including Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Israel, remain closed. This has forced numerous carriers to divert their aircraft over safer alternatives – with Pakistan now playing a central role in many of these flight plans.
Rerouted flight paths
While names of newly rerouted airlines remain undisclosed officially, major carriers like Emirates are reported to have shifted several routes over northern and western Pakistan. These adjusted flight paths now pass through Pakistani airspace, before continuing over Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, and Turkey to reach destinations in Europe, North America, and beyond.
This change has offered a crucial bridge for Gulf-based carriers that would otherwise face severe disruptions. The closure of Iraqi airspace, a major corridor between Europe and the Gulf, has especially hampered operations for airlines with hubs in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Several reports indicate that airports in the UAE have experienced mounting delays, rebookings, and cancellations due to these abrupt changes.
A June 13 video posted by flight tracking platform Flightradar24 showed the skies above Iran and Iraq almost entirely devoid of commercial traffic.
9-second video of the clearing of Iranian and Iraqi airspace. pic.twitter.com/VZLWbmk9sC
— Flightradar24 (@flightradar24) June 13, 2025
The visual evidence confirmed the extent of rerouting taking place across the region, with aircraft funnelled through corridors deemed safer – including Pakistan.
Wider airline impact
The ripple effect has been felt across a wide spectrum of carriers. While not all have confirmed their alternate routes, airlines previously impacted by the conflict include El Al, Lufthansa, Turkish Airlines, Aeroflot, Air India, Qatar Airways, Aegean Airlines, flydubai, Wizz Air Abu Dhabi, and Air Arabia. These carriers have suspended or altered services to affected destinations such as Israel, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, and Syria.
UAE carriers have borne a significant brunt. Emirates suspended flights to Tehran, Baghdad, Basra, Amman, and Beirut, extending the cancellations into late June. Etihad Airways, based in Abu Dhabi, suspended its Tel Aviv operations and temporarily halted flights to Lebanon and Jordan. flydubai, the low-cost arm of Dubai’s aviation sector, has paused services to multiple countries including Iran, Israel, Syria, and Lebanon.
Sharjah-based Air Arabia also extended suspensions to over ten destinations, including Central Asian nations, as the situation evolved. Despite the growing list of suspended routes, the availability of Pakistan’s airspace has helped several carriers retain continuity across long-haul destinations by avoiding costly and time-consuming detours over Saudi or Central Asian corridors.
UAE airports remain open
Despite these disruptions, major UAE airports remain fully operational. Dubai International Airport, Abu Dhabi’s Zayed International Airport, and Sharjah International Airport have not halted general operations, though some outbound routes face unavoidable cancellations or diversions. Passengers are urged to arrive early, track their flight status closely, and coordinate directly with airlines for updates.
⚠️Update:
— Zayed International Airport (@AUH) June 15, 2025
Due to ongoing airspace closures, flight disruptions at AUH-including delays & cancellations-are expected to continue on Sunday, 15 and Monday, 16 June.
Passengers are advised to check with their airlines for the latest travel information before heading to the airport.
Zayed International has warned that disruptions may persist beyond mid-June, depending on how the geopolitical situation unfolds. While inbound flights have generally remained unaffected, outbound services to restricted destinations face the greatest impact.
Global aviation adjustments
Beyond the Gulf, global carriers continue to adapt. Lufthansa suspended services to Tel Aviv and Tehran until July. Ryanair extended its Tel Aviv suspension through August, while Delta Air Lines paused flights to Israel through the end of June. EU aviation authorities have labelled much of Middle Eastern airspace as high-risk, pushing airlines to rely on longer yet safer routes – many of which now pass over Pakistan.
With Russian and Ukrainian airspace still closed due to ongoing conflict, the Middle East remains a vital artery for east-west travel. The latest regional escalation only adds pressure to these already limited options, pushing airlines to prioritise corridors that ensure safety, reliability, and efficiency.
On Friday alone, Eurocontrol reported that around 1,800 flights across Europe were affected – 650 of them cancelled – as ripple effects of the Middle East conflict spread across global aviation.