Diversions, disruptions: aviation grapples with Middle East escalation

2/10/2024 17:22

        Rising tensions in the Middle East have created air travel chaos, with global airlines diverting or cancelling flights on Wednesday and regional airports, including Lebanon, Israel and Kuwait, showing long delays.
        
        Concern over travel disruption as the conflict intensifies also knocked shares in the travel and airline sectors on Wednesday morning.
        
        Iran launched its largest missile attack against Israel on Tuesday in retaliation for Israel's campaign against Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon, triggering a threat from Israel of a "painful response".
        
        On Wednesday morning, a few flights were seen over Iranian airspace, according to a FlightRadar24 map, including from carrier flydubai, after Iran said its ballistic missile attack on Israel was over.
        
        However, flights across the entire region were diverted or disrupted with little sign of broader normalisation.
        
        Carriers around the world have cancelled flights to Israel and Lebanon in the wake of the escalating conflict, with many saying they won't resume until at least mid-October, depending on the security situation.