Dubai Airport Flights Affected After Iran's Qatar Strike
Iran's attack on Qatar's Al Udeid US military base in Doha late Monday night – an act the Gulf state condemned as a flagrant violation of its sovereignty, international law, and the United Nations Charter – was immediately followed by widespread and significant impacts on commercial aviation across the Middle East and globally. Airlines and governments were forced to adapt to a rapidly changing security landscape.
The UAE and Saudi Arabia strongly condemned the Iranian attack, expressing full solidarity with Qatar and warning that such acts undermine regional stability and violate international law. Airlines were on fresh alert late Monday night after Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait temporarily closed their airspaces.
This series of critical events unfolded in a very brief period; below is a detailed breakdown of everything that transpired concerning airspace closures yesterday:
7.46 pm, June 23
Qatar temporarily suspends all air traffic to ensure public safety
Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that competent authorities have temporarily suspended all air traffic in the country's airspace to ensure the safety of citizens, residents, and visitors.
8.43 pm, June 23
Flares spotted over Qatar, explosions heard in Doha
Explosions could be heard across Doha on Monday evening, according to AFP journalists, shortly after Qatar closed its airspace, citing regional developments following US strikes on Iran.
9.27 pm, June 23
Bahrain announces temporary suspension of airspace
Bahrain closed its airspace temporarily as a precautionary measure following the attacks.
9.43 pm, June 23
Qatar says missile intercepted, no casualties reported
Qatar's Defence Ministry confirmed that its air defence systems successfully intercepted missiles aimed at Al Udeid Air Base.
9.50 pm, June 23
Kuwait shuts down airspace temporarily until further notice
Kuwait closed its airspace temporarily as a precautionary measure. At the same time, Iranian state television reported that Iran has launched an operation targeting a US base in Qatar.
10.02 pm, June 23
Saudi Arabia condemns Iran's missile attack on Qatar
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia strongly condemned and denounced the aggression launched by Iran against Qatar.
UAE Condemns in the Strongest Terms Targeting of Qatarhttps://t.co/Ms92n2ClBq pic.twitter.com/ZJdeLoTncu — MoFA وزارة الخارجية (@mofauae) June 23, 2025
10.04 pm, June 23
UAE strongly condemns missile attack targeting Qatar
The UAE strongly condemned the Iranian Revolutionary Guard's targeting of Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar. The UAE reaffirmed its unequivocal rejection of any aggression that endangers Qatar's security and undermines regional stability.
10.46 pm, June 23
EgyptAir suspends all flights between Cairo and Gulf countries
EgyptAir suspended flights from Cairo to Gulf countries until regional conditions stabilise.
10.57 pm, June 23
Air India ceases operations
Indian carrier Air India ceases all operations to the region as well as to and from the East Coast of North America and Europe with immediate effect. Air India Express also suspended flights to the area.
IndiGo also cancelled operations in Dubai, Doha, Bahrain, Dammam, Abu Dhabi, Kuwait, Madinah, Fujairah, Jeddah, Muscat, Sharjah, Riyadh, Ras AI-Khaimah and Tbilisi. IndiGo announced it had resumed operations in Gulf states at 12.06 pm on June 24.
#ImportantUpdateFollowing previous announcements of temporary reductions in Air India's widebody international services, the airline today announced temporary cuts of less than 5% to its overall narrowbody network.This voluntary decision leads to the temporary suspension of… — Air India (@airindia) June 22, 2025
11.05 pm, June 23
Middle East airspace closures divert 26 commercial flights
At least 26 commercial flights bound for Dubai, UAE, or Doha, Qatar, were diverted on Monday due to airspace closures in the Middle East, according to a CNN report citing aviation analytics firm Cirium. Of these, 22 flights were headed to Doha, with 12 operated by Qatar Airways. Some flights diverted to alternate airports along their routes, while others returned to their departure points.
Cirium also noted that another 39 flights from North America and 210 flights from Europe will depart later today toward the Middle East but face potential cancellations if the airspace remains closed.
11.15 pm, June 23
Oman Air suspends some regional flights amid tensions
Due to ongoing regional developments, Oman Air temporarily suspended flights to and from Manama, Dubai, Kuwait, and Doha.
11.41 pm, June 23
Dubai Airport resumes operations after brief suspension
Dubai Airports confirmed that operations have returned to full capacity following a temporary suspension. The airport authority emphasised that the safety and comfort of all passengers and flight crews remain its top priority.
'While Dubai Airports is working with airlines to ensure flights operate according to schedule, some flights may experience delays or cancellations. Travellers are advised to stay informed by checking regularly with their airlines for the latest updates,' the Dubai Media Office said.
Dubai Airports has resumed full operations at its airports in the emirate following a temporary precautionary pause. The safety and wellbeing of all travellers and aviation staff remain the highest priority.While Dubai Airports is working with airlines to ensure flights operate… — Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) June 23, 2025
11.48 pm, June 23
Bahrain and Kuwait reopen airspace after brief suspension
State news agencies said that Bahrain and Kuwait reopened their airspace following a brief suspension.
12 am, June 23
Emirates announces disruption to flights
Emirates said some of its flights were rerouted en route to Dubai on June 23, but there were no diversions. After a thorough and careful risk assessment, Emirates said it would continue to operate flights as scheduled, using flight paths well distanced from conflict areas. It warned passengers that some flights may incur delays due to longer re-routings or airspace congestion.
The State of Qatar strongly condemns the attack that targeted Al-Udeid Air Base by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. We consider this a flagrant violation of the sovereignty of the State of Qatar, its airspace, international law, and the United Nations Charter. We affirm that… — د. ماجد محمد الأنصاري Dr. Majed Al Ansari (@majedalansari) June 23, 2025
1.19 am, June 24
Qatar reopens airspace after Iranian missile strike
Qatar reopened its airspace following a temporary suspension triggered by the launch of 19 missiles from Iran targeting the US-run Al Udeid Air Base.
2.10 am, June 24
Trump says Israel and Iran agreed to a ceasefire
US President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Iran that he hopes will become permanent.
Numerous other US and European carriers (including United Airlines, American Airlines, Air France-KLM, British Airways, and Singapore Airlines) continued managing significant disruptions, with ongoing cancellations, suspensions, or flight rerouting impacting hubs like Dubai and Doha.
A day after the attacks, the Middle East's aviation sector is actively navigating the ripple effects, with airlines continuing to adjust operations and passengers facing ongoing disruptions.
Dubai Airports confirmed the full resumption of operations yesterday morning after a brief precautionary pause. Sharjah Airport also resumed full operations. Meanwhile, Abu Dhabi's Zayed International Airport urged all travellers to verify their flight details with airlines before heading to the airport.
All airlines have said that travellers flying through UAE hubs like Dubai and Abu Dhabi should still anticipate potential delays and cancellations as airlines work to stabilise schedules and reroute flights.
Etihad Airways said it is actively rerouting a number of its flights today, while Emirates' cancellation of operations to Tehran and Iraq (Baghdad and Basra) remains in effect until June 30.
Air India's decision to cease all operations to the Middle East and to and from the East Coast of North America and Europe remains in effect until further notice. Wizz Air Abu Dhabi has cancelled UAE flights until June 30.
Many other US and European carriers will continue monitoring the situation closely, with some still maintaining flight suspensions or significantly rerouting services to Gulf destinations, while others are cautiously resuming operations.
Also Read: Trump announces total ceasefire, official end to '12-day war' in 24 hours
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