Airlines extend Gulf suspensions as security risks rise

Middle East air travel faced renewed disruption on Friday as delays affected Kuwait and major international carriers extended flight suspensions amid escalating regional fighting and rapidly changing airspace restrictions.

Passengers travelling through Kuwait International Airport were advised to confirm departure times before leaving for the terminal. Intermittent airspace closures and altered flight paths have caused delays, cancellations and late operational changes on services linking Kuwait with regional and international destinations.

Jazeera Airways warned that schedules could change at short notice because of restrictions imposed during periods of heightened military activity. The carrier urged customers to rely on its official flight-status system rather than previously issued departure information.

Singapore Airlines extended the suspension of its daily Singapore-Dubai service until October 24, pushing back an earlier plan to restore flights on August 2. The cancellations cover SQ494 from Singapore to Dubai and SQ495 on the return route.

The airline said other services could also be affected because conditions remained fluid. Passengers holding tickets for cancelled flights may request refunds for the unused portions of their bookings. Travellers who purchased tickets through agencies or partner airlines must contact the original seller.

Scoot, the low-cost subsidiary of Singapore Airlines, has cancelled flights between Singapore and Jeddah until July 27. The affected services are TR796 and TR797. The airline had restarted its three-times-a-week Jeddah operation on June 22 after an earlier pause.

Air France extended the suspension of flights to Beirut until August 2. Services had been expected to resume on July 20, but the airline revised its schedule after reviewing the deteriorating security environment.

The French carrier has restored flights to Dubai, Tel Aviv and Riyadh. However, it said all resumptions would remain dependent on continuing assessments of local security conditions. Further changes are possible if airspace warnings or military activity intensify.

Turkish Airlines has resumed services to Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Damascus, Beirut and Amman while keeping flights to Iran suspended. It warned that additional cancellations could be announced as regional airspace conditions were being monitored in real time.

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency has advised airlines to avoid the airspace of Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the UAE, as well as routes over the Gulf of Oman. The tougher warning remains valid until July 29.

A separate advisory discouraging operations through the airspace of Iran, Iraq and Lebanon has been extended until the end of August. Aviation authorities have highlighted threats from missiles and drones, along with the danger that civilian aircraft could be misidentified by air-defence systems.

The warnings have forced airlines to choose between suspending services and operating longer routes around areas considered unsafe. Diversions increase fuel consumption, crew requirements and flight times while reducing the ability of carriers to recover quickly from delays.

Several airlines are maintaining long-term restrictions. British Airways has paused flights to Dubai, Tel Aviv, Bahrain and Amman until October 25. Its Doha service is expected to return on August 1, followed by Riyadh on August 8.

Lufthansa and Swiss plan to keep Dubai flights suspended until September 13. Other Lufthansa Group services to destinations including Abu Dhabi, Beirut, Dammam, Riyadh, Muscat, Erbil and Tehran remain halted until October 24.

Cathay Pacific has postponed the restoration of passenger services to Dubai and Riyadh until late October. Japan Airlines has suspended scheduled Tokyo-Doha flights until the end of August, while Finnair has cancelled Doha services until October 2.

Air Canada has suspended flights to Dubai and Tel Aviv until October 24. Aegean Airlines has cancelled Dubai services until August 31, while Wizz Air has paused flights from mainland Europe to Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Amman until mid-September.

Gulf carriers continue to operate extensive networks, but schedules remain vulnerable to temporary airspace closures, congestion and longer routings. Flights may depart several hours late even when they are not formally cancelled, particularly when aircraft or crews arrive behind schedule from earlier sectors.