PARIS - At least two European airlines suspended flights to cities in the Middle East on Friday, citing security concerns amid rising regional tensions.
Air France said it would temporarily halt services to Dubai due to the geopolitical situation.
Dutch airline KLM also suspended flights until further notice to several Middle Eastern destinations and said it would avoid flying through the airspace of multiple countries in the region, including Iraq and Iran, according to the Netherlands’ state broadcaster.
The suspensions came after US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that a US “armada” was heading toward the Gulf and that Washington was closely monitoring Iran. His remarks followed earlier comments in which he downplayed the prospect of imminent military action and said Tehran appeared open to talks.
“Due to the current situation in the Middle East, the company has decided to temporarily suspend its service to Dubai,” Air France said in a statement to AFP. The airline added that it was “constantly monitoring the evolution of the geopolitical situation in the territories served and overflown by its aircraft” to ensure “the highest level of safety and security” for its flights.
“Air France is monitoring the situation in real time and will provide further updates on its flight schedule,” the carrier said.
KLM told Dutch public broadcaster NOS that it had suspended flights until further notice to Tel Aviv, Dubai, Dammam and Riyadh, and would avoid flying through the airspace of Iraq, Iran, Israel and several Gulf countries. The airline did not specify the reason for the suspensions and said it was in contact with Dutch authorities, according to NOS. (Bssnews)
