Home
+
Published : 13 Jun 2025, 05:46 PM
Following Israel’s airstrikes on Iran, not only has Tehran closed its airspace to civilian aircraft, but neighbouring Jordan and Iraq have also shut down their skies.
As a result, international flights are being rerouted through alternative paths, disrupting global airline schedules. Several major carriers have cancelled flights, and many others are reporting delays and detours.
Biman Bangladesh Airlines has confirmed that its flights to Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, which normally use Iranian airspace, are now operating via alternative routes. However, the national carrier said that its overall flight schedule has not been affected.
The Israeli offensive began shortly after 4am local time on Friday, targeting Iranian nuclear facilities, ballistic missile production sites, and locations linked to senior military commanders.
In response, Iran, Iraq, and Jordan all declared their airspace closed to civilian aviation, according to Reuters.
The disruption has impacted numerous international airlines, including Emirates, Lufthansa, and Air India, among others. Air India, already grappling with the aftermath of a deadly crash just a day earlier, now faces further complications due to the Iranian airspace closure.
The airline announced via its official X handle that 16 of its flights were either diverted mid-air or forced to return to their departure airports.
Flights from London, New York, Vancouver, Washington, Toronto, and other major cities were redirected to airports in cities such as Vienna, Sharjah, Jeddah, Mumbai, Frankfurt, and Milan.
Some outbound flights from Delhi and Mumbai returned without reaching their intended destinations due to the sudden change in airspace availability.
Biman’s General Manager for Public Relations, ABM Raoshan Kabir, said that two of the airline's routes typically pass through Iranian airspace. While those flights have been rerouted, there has been no change to the airline’s official schedule, and operations continue without delay.
