The effects of the war in the Middle East are growing. Due to the closure of airspaces, 11 aircraft belonging to different airlines have been held on the apron at Istanbul Airport for 26 days.
War in the Middle East Halts Flights
The war that began between the US-Israel and Iran has severely disrupted air transportation across the Middle East. As many countries in the region closed their airspace, disruptions occurred in international flight operations.
Following the tensions that began on Saturday, February 28, airline companies were forced to cancel or reroute their flights due to security risks.
11 Aircraft Being Held at Istanbul Airport
After these developments, a total of 11 passenger aircraft belonging to different countries were directed to the apron of Istanbul Airport.
On the 26th day of the war, the aircraft are still waiting at the airport and are expected to depart from Istanbul once the airspaces are reopened.
Which Flights Were Cancelled?
Due to the risk of potential attacks, many airlines, especially Turkish carriers, cancelled their flights to the following destinations:
- Iran, Kuwait, Bahrain, Doha, Dammam, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Amman, Beirut
These cancellations have caused significant congestion and diversions in air traffic across the region.
Distribution of Aircraft Announced
The distribution of the aircraft waiting in Istanbul by airline is as follows:
- Qatar Airways: 7 aircraft
- Emirates: 2 aircraft
- Kuwait Airways: 1 aircraft
- Gulf Air: 1 aircraft
Many foreign airlines, particularly Qatar Airways, diverted their aircraft to Istanbul for security reasons.
