Turkish airlines suspend flights to five Middle Eastern countries until 6 March

International

Carriers reroute services as regional airspace closures remain in force

Turkish air carriers have suspended all flights to Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Jordan until 6 March in response to escalating military tensions in the Middle East. The decision affects Turkish Airlines, AJet, Pegasus Airlines and SunExpress.

Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu said authorities are closely monitoring developments and have implemented precautionary measures to safeguard aviation operations. Notices to air missions remain in effect, with airspace over Iran, Israel, Iraq, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan and southern Syria officially closed.

Airspace restrictions reshape regional traffic

According to the minister, civil aviation operations are currently limited to Oman, Lebanon and parts of Saudi Arabia. In the United Arab Emirates, emergency traffic routing procedures are in place, while Emirates and Etihad Airways are expected to resume selected flights.

Turkish carriers are actively rerouting aircraft to avoid restricted airspace. One Turkish Airlines aircraft and one Pegasus Airlines aircraft remain on the ground at Tehran’s Imam Khomeini International Airport. AJet has no aircraft stranded in restricted zones, while Tailwind Airlines has one aircraft in Iraq currently leased to a local operator.

Further cancellations possible

“Due to ongoing risks in the region, flights to Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan by THY, AJet, Pegasus, and SunExpress have been canceled until March 6,” Uraloglu said.

He added that Pegasus Airlines will suspend flights to Iran until 12 March. All flights planned to Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates have been cancelled until 3 March.

Decisions are being reassessed daily, the minister noted, and further cancellations remain possible if the security situation does not improve.