Iran reopened its airspace after a brief closure of five hours on Wednesday, triggering widespread disruption to commercial flights.
Iranian authorities closed the airspace amid growing concerns over potential military action between the United States and Iran. The airspace closure forced airlines to cancel, divert, or delay multiple flights.
According to a notice posted on the US Federal Aviation Administration website, Iran closed its airspace to all flights except authorised international arrivals and departures at 5:15 pm ET (2215 GMT).
However, officials withdrew the notice shortly before 10 pm ET (0300 GMT), flight-tracking service Flightradar24 confirmed.
During the closure, flight activity over Iran dropped sharply. In contrast, Flightradar24 noted that dozens of aircraft had been flying over the country at the same time just one week earlier. Consequently, the sudden suspension caused confusion for airlines operating routes across the Middle East and Central Asia.
Geopolitical tensions fuel airline caution
The closure coincided with heightened political and military uncertainty. President Donald Trump has been weighing a response to escalating unrest in Iran, which is experiencing its largest anti-government protests in years. A Western military official told Reuters that signals suggested a US attack appeared imminent, although the official added that unpredictability often forms part of Washington’s strategy.
Meanwhile, two European officials said US military intervention could occur within 24 hours, and an Israeli official also indicated that Trump seemed inclined to intervene, though the timing and scope remained unclear.
As a precaution, the United States began withdrawing some personnel from Middle Eastern bases after Tehran warned neighbouring countries that it would target American bases if Washington launched strikes. Against this backdrop, airlines increased safety measures.
IndiGo confirmed that several international flights would be affected. Aeroflot turned a Tehran-bound aircraft back to Moscow, while Germany advised its airlines to avoid Iranian airspace.
Other international airlines _ Lufthansa, flydubai, and Turkish Airlines also cancelled several flights, citing war risks.
