Gulf 12-FIR Shutdown — February 2026
Event start: 28 Feb 2026 · Sources: Cirium · Bloomberg · Reuters · Al Jazeera · EASA · FAA · GCAA
On 28 February 2026, a cascading set of Gulf and Levant airspace closures followed regional military escalation. At least nine states closed all or part of their airspace within hours, encompassing the major FIRs across the Middle East: Iran (OIIX), Iraq (ORBB), Jordan (OJAC), Qatar (OTDF), Bahrain (OBBB), Kuwait (OKAC), UAE (OMAE), Israel (LLLL), and partial closure in Syria. Per Cirium, more than 60,000 flights were cancelled between 28 February and the following weeks, affecting approximately 6 million passengers. The event reshaped Europe-Gulf and Europe-Asia routings for months afterward.
Timeline of events
- 28 FEB 2026 — SATURDAYRegional military escalation triggers cascading airspace closures
By end of day, nine states had declared all or part of their airspace closed: Iran, Israel, Iraq, Jordan, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, UAE — with Syria announcing 12-hour closure along its southern border. Major hub airports (DXB, AUH, DOH, AMM, BAH, KWI, TLV) suspended operations entirely or accepted only diversions. Per Cirium, approximately 1,800 flights cancelled within the first day.
- 1–8 MAR 20269-day cumulative impact: 37,000 flights cancelled
Cirium analysis of the 9-day window from 28 February: approximately 65,500 flights originally scheduled in and out of Middle Eastern airports — of which 37,000 (56%) were cancelled. Lufthansa Group suspended flights to Israel, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, and Tehran through 7 March. Qatar Airways briefly suspended all operations before reopening with restricted corridors.
- MAR 2026 — ONGOINGCumulative 60,000+ cancellations, ~6M passengers affected
Cirium data through subsequent weeks placed cumulative cancellations above 60,000, affecting an estimated 6 million passengers. EASA issued a Conflict Zone Information Bulletin covering the Middle East and Gulf airspace, periodically revised through 2026. Qatar FIR began operating under partial-closure procedures with fixed entry/exit corridors; UAE FIR remained partially closed; Kuwait FIR required prior approval for all arrivals/departures.
Affected FIRs
Major Flight Information Regions experiencing full or partial closure during the cascade:
| FIR | State | Status (28 Feb) |
|---|---|---|
| OIIX | Iran | Closed |
| LLLL | Israel | Closed |
| ORBB | Iraq | Closed |
| OJAC | Jordan | Closed |
| OTDF | Qatar | Closed |
| OBBB | Bahrain | Closed |
| OKAC | Kuwait | Closed |
| OMAE | UAE | Closed |
| Southern Syria | Syria | Partial (12 hours) |
Carrier response
Major carrier actions documented in the first 72 hours, per public statements and press coverage (Reuters, Bloomberg, CNBC, Al Jazeera):
Operational and economic impact
- →Cancellations: per Cirium, 60,000+ flights cancelled cumulatively, affecting ~6 million passengers directly. 9-day cancellation rate reached 56% of all scheduled Middle East flights.
- →Reroute corridors: Saudi Arabia (OEJN/OERR) and Egypt (HECC) absorbed substantial reroute volume. Caspian-Central Asia corridor (via Caucasus and Turkmenistan) became primary alternative for Europe-Asia routes avoiding the closure zone.
- →Block time: Europe-Gulf and Europe-Asia routes added 30–90 minutes for most reroutes. Long-haul carriers absorbed substantial extra fuel and crew utilisation costs.
- →Insurance: Aviation war-risk premiums on Middle East corridors saw further upward pressure following the event, building on the multi-fold premium increases since 2022.
- →Regulatory: EASA Conflict Zone Information Bulletin issued covering the Middle East and Gulf region, revised periodically. FAA equivalent guidance to US-registered carriers issued in parallel.
Lasting effects
The February 2026 cascade marked the largest synchronized Gulf airspace closure in commercial aviation history. Several structural changes persisted into the following months:
- •Qatar, UAE, and Kuwait FIRs maintained partial-closure procedures with restricted corridors well after the immediate event.
- •European-Asia long-haul reroutings via Caspian/Central Asia (avoiding Iran/Iraq) became the new operational default for many Western carriers.
- •Subsequent events — notably the UAE airspace re-closure of 4–11 May 2026 — followed similar patterns established by the February precedent.
- •Industry forums on conflict-zone pilot authority gained traction (see IFALPA April 2026 statement).
Sources
- Cirium — flight cancellation analytics covering Feb 28 onwards (1,800 cancellations on day one, 37,000 over the following 9 days, 60,000+ cumulative)
- Reuters, Bloomberg, CNBC, Al Jazeera — same-day reporting of state airspace closures and carrier responses
- EASA Conflict Zone Information Bulletin — official regulatory framework, revised periodically
- FAA Special Federal Aviation Regulations (SFAR) — parallel US guidance
- GCAA (UAE), Qatar CAA, Kuwait DGCA — national NOTAMs published throughout the event
- Universal Weather, AirHelp, CNN ("hole in the sky" coverage) — operational analysis and business-aviation impact
Related
For airlines, OTAs, insurance underwriters
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