Flight alert: What SA travellers need to know about going to the Middle East
Pretoria travellers heading to the Middle East are advised to stay alert, as several countries in the region have temporarily closed their airspace in response to ongoing tensions.
While Qatar reopened its airspace as of June 23, 2025, others—including the UAE, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Iran—remain restricted.
Travellers are urged to check flight statuses regularly and confirm all details with airlines or tour operators to avoid delays and unexpected reroutes.
The region has been on edge following the weekend strikes from the US and since Israel began the conflict with a surprise bombardment on Iran, which responded with its own missile and drone strikes earlier this month.
According to a report by EuroNews, Air tracking data from FlightAware showed 243 cancellations worldwide as of Tuesday morning.
Dubai International Airport topped the list with 26 cancellations in and out of the airport as of 0600 GMT. And Air India had the highest amount of cancellations among carriers, totalling 25 at about 0600 GMT.
Meanwhile, Middle East carriers were severely affected by cancellations and delays. Qatar Airways said its flights were suspended because of the closure of air traffic in Qatar.
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