Iran-Israel Conflict Escalates, Transport Minister Urges Airlines to Heighten Vigilance

Jakarta — Transport Minister Dudy Purwagandhi has urged international airlines operating routes to or transiting the Middle East to heighten vigilance following the escalation of the conflict between Iran and Israel and their respective allies, including the United States. Dudy noted that several airline operators have been reported as affected by the conflict.

Some international flights passing through the Middle East region have been cancelled, whilst others continue to operate normally.

“We urge airlines to increase their vigilance and passengers to actively monitor developments in information,” Dudy said in Jakarta on Sunday, 1 March 2026.

Foreign airlines have been reported to have cancelled flights and suspended operations to and from several cities in the Middle East since the escalation of the Iran-Israel conflict.

Airlines that have cancelled or suspended flights include Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways, Emirates, Malaysia Airlines, Philippine Airlines, IndiGo Airlines, SriLankan Airlines, China Southern Airlines, Singapore Airlines, and Scoot.

Meanwhile, Saudia Airlines continues to monitor several destination cities in the Middle East. Oman Air operates as usual. Ethiopian Airlines also remains operational, but does not serve flights to Amman (Jordan) and Tel Aviv (Israel).

Dudy noted that two domestic airlines transiting Middle East airspace—Garuda Indonesia and Lion Air—have not been affected by the conflict so far.

Flights by Garuda Indonesia and Lion Air to Jeddah remain unaffected. Garuda Indonesia flights to Amsterdam have been rerouted through Cairo, Egypt.