Middle East conflict escalates: Garuda Indonesia suspends Doha flights
Garuda Indonesia has temporarily suspended flights to and from Doha until further notice, citing safety concerns following US-Israel air strikes and Iranian retaliation.
“Garuda Indonesia continues to actively coordinate with aviation authorities and relevant stakeholders to monitor the developing situation,” the airline stated, as reported by AFP on Sunday, 1 March 2026.
Garuda emphasised that its other international routes continue operating normally and that its flights do not transit through airspace affected by the conflict.
The escalating military conflict between the United States and Israel against Iran has caused widespread disruption. Beyond casualties and damaged infrastructure, aviation activities have been significantly impacted.
Garuda joins several international carriers in restricting Middle East operations. British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, and Wizz Air have all limited flight schedules to Middle Eastern destinations. Iranian airspace has been closed entirely, and flight tracking data shows international air traffic avoiding the region.
British Airways has cancelled services to Tel Aviv and Bahrain until Wednesday, 4 March, and to Amman, Jordan, from Saturday, 28 February. Virgin Atlantic has cancelled Heathrow-Dubai flights and warned that services to India, Saudi Arabia, and the Maldives may experience delays due to route diversions.
Wizz Air has suspended all flights to and from Israel, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Amman until Saturday, 7 March. Qatar Airways has confirmed temporary suspension of flights to and from Doha due to closure of Qatari airspace, whilst Emirates announced temporary suspension of services to and from Dubai.
Heathrow Airport, the UK’s busiest airport, has urged travellers to check the latest information with their airlines.
Dubai airports have suspended all flights at Dubai International (DXB) and Dubai World Central – Al Maktoum International (DWC) until further notice following attacks in the region. The announcement was made on social media platform X.
“Passengers are advised not to travel to the airport at this time and to contact their respective airlines directly for the latest information about their flights. We appreciate the cooperation of our guests. Further information will be provided as we continue to monitor the situation,” the airport authority stated.
Flight maps show airspace above Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Israel, and Bahrain is nearly empty following Israeli air strikes against Iran and US military operations targeting facilities in the country.