Foreign Minister Penny Wong has indicated airspace closures due to Iranian retaliatory strikes are likely to limit the federal government’s ability to organize repatriation flights for Australians stranded in the Middle East.
Australians have been told not to travel to a number of Middle Eastern countries, including Israel, Lebanon, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Iran retaliates in response to US-Israeli attacks who reportedly killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Khamenei’s death has not been confirmed by Iran.
Iranian missiles were fired at Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Doha – all major east-west aviation gateways and where a US military buildup of weapons took place ahead of the attacks. Qatar is home to the largest US military base in the region.
Four people were injured on Sunday morning after a rocket hit a hall at Dubai International Airport.
Regional airspace is closed, including in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Flight maps showed that the airspace over Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Israel and Bahrain was virtually empty after the attacks began.
Wong said the government has in the past supported Australians stranded abroad with repatriation flights.
“The government is acutely aware that this is extremely disturbing and concerning for the region, and in particular for Australians in the region,” she told reporters in Adelaide on Sunday.
The minister said the government will “always” do what it can to support Australians, but added that airspace was closed.
“Our focus is on the safety of Australians in the region. What I will also say is that we expect this to be a difficult, difficult day.
“Whatever information we have and can confirm, we will provide to Australians in the region as quickly as possible.”
Eric Schouten, head of aviation safety consultancy Dyami, told Reuters: “Passengers and airlines can expect airspace to be closed for some time to come.”
Flights in Australia to parts of the Middle East cancelled
A number of flights from Australia to the Middle East and Europe were canceled due to the conflict.
Virgin Australia said four Doha-bound flights operated by Qatar Airways were diverted to Australia on Saturday evening due to the closure of Qatari airspace. This included flights from Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth, returning to different airports.
It also said seven flights had been cancelled, including flights from Doha and others heading to the city.
“Guests who will be traveling on Virgin Australia services between Australia and Doha in the coming days are advised to monitor their flight information closely and visit the Smartraveller website for the latest travel advice,” a Virgin Australia spokesperson told SBS News.
Qantas said it has not canceled any flights to Europe at this stage. SBS News understands Qantas has a number of flight route options for flights to Europe.
The European Union’s aviation regulator EASA on Saturday recommended its airlines stay out of airspace affected by the ongoing military intervention.
British Airways said it had canceled flights to Tel Aviv and Bahrain until March 3, as well as Saturday’s flights to Amman.
Germany’s Lufthansa said it is suspending flights to and from Dubai on Saturday and Sunday and halting its Tel Aviv, Beirut and Oman routes until March 7.
Air France and Iberia also canceled flights to Tel Aviv and Beirut, while India put airlines on alert as Air India and IndiGo suspended services.
Cathay Pacific Airways’ operations in the region from Hong Kong are impacting passenger flights to and from Dubai and Riyadh.
Qatar Airways and Kuwait Airways have temporarily suspended flights, while Turkish Airlines has also canceled flights to several destinations in the Middle East.
Qatar Airways said in a post on
— With reporting by Reuters.
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