Strikes on Iran have disrupted one of the world's busiest flight corridors

"Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar have closed their airspaces. Some Middle Eastern airlines, such as Qatar Airways and Emirates, operate major hubs that connect passengers to destinations around the world. Dubai is home to the world's busiest airport for international traffic, while Doha's is the 10th busiest."

"An American Airlines flight from Philadelphia to Doha had flown for more than six hours when it turned around over Ireland and started heading back across the Atlantic Ocean, flight-tracking data showed. It looks like the total flight-to-nowhere will last about 13 hours."

"In a post on X, Qatar Airways said all flights to and from its Doha hub were temporarily suspended due to the closure of the country's airspace. 'Once usual operations resume, we anticipate delays to our flight schedule,' it added."

The US and Israel's strikes on Iran on Saturday morning triggered significant disruptions to Middle Eastern airspace. Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar closed their airspaces, affecting some of the world's busiest aviation routes. Major airlines including Qatar Airways and Emirates suspended operations from their regional hubs in Doha and Dubai, which serve as critical connection points between Europe and Asia. Multiple flights already in transit were forced to divert or turn back, including an American Airlines flight from Philadelphia to Doha that turned around over Ireland after six hours, and an Air Canada flight from Toronto to Dubai that reversed course over the Mediterranean Sea. Airlines like Air India suspended all Middle East flights due to the developing situation.

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