Aggregated from EASA Conflict Zone Information Bulletins, FAA SFARs, national NOTAM publications, and airline operational disclosures. Status can change within hours. Operators must verify through official channels before filing.
Middle East Airspace
Live status & airspace monitoring
The Middle East and Persian Gulf region continues to operate under elevated airspace disruption pressure across 2026. Following the February 2026 coordinated closure of twelve Flight Information Regions, rolling restrictions, precautionary closures, and GPS interference advisories have persisted across the region. This briefing summarises current FIR-level status and active regulatory bulletins.
Executive summary
No material change since the previous review: Emirates FIR (OMAE) and Tehran FIR (OIIX) remain effectively closed to overflight traffic since May 16-17, 2026, per FlySafe Sentinel traffic anomaly detection, with sustained traffic drops of 81-100% observed. Tel Aviv FIR (LLLL) continues at advisory status with normal traffic levels (25 aircraft observed vs 7-day average of 16.5), while Amman FIR (OJAC) and Bahrain FIR (OBBB) show normal operations. The key signal to watch in the next review window is whether formal NOTAMs are published by UAE and Iranian authorities to clarify the legal status of these airspace restrictions, as current data relies solely on traffic pattern analysis.
FIR-by-FIR status
| ICAO | Status | Last change | Source | Retrieved |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OMAE | Effectively closed (no formal NOTAM accessible) | 2026-05-17 | FlySafe Sentinel traffic anomaly detection | 2026-05-26T05:05:06Z |
| OIIX | Effectively closed (no formal NOTAM accessible) | 2026-05-16 | FlySafe Sentinel traffic anomaly detection | 2026-05-26T05:05:06Z |
| LLLL | Advisory — normal traffic | No recent anomaly detected | FlySafe Sentinel traffic anomaly detection | 2026-05-26T05:35:10Z |
| OJAC | Normal operations | No recent anomaly detected | FlySafe Sentinel traffic anomaly detection | 2026-05-26T05:35:10Z |
| OBBB | Normal operations | No recent anomaly detected | FlySafe Sentinel traffic anomaly detection | 2026-05-26T05:35:10Z |
| OKAC | Normal operations | No recent anomaly detected | FlySafe Sentinel traffic anomaly detection | 2026-05-26T05:35:10Z |
| ORBB | Normal operations | No recent anomaly detected | FlySafe Sentinel traffic anomaly detection | 2026-05-26T05:35:10Z |
| OYSC | Normal operations | No recent anomaly detected | FlySafe Sentinel traffic anomaly detection | 2026-05-26T05:35:10Z |
Regulatory context
Operators should be aware that EASA Conflict Zone Information Bulletins (CZIBs) serve as safety advisories, not regulatory mandates, per the EASA CZIB framework. For EU-registered operators, EU Regulation 965/2012 (ORO.GEN.110) requires operators to conduct risk assessments when overflying conflict zones. US-registered operators are subject to 14 CFR §91.703 when operating outside US airspace, incorporating ICAO Annex 17 security standards. Live NOTAM data not currently accessible; status pending verification through next review. AIP entries for these FIRs not currently captured; refer to state authority directly.
Source lineage
- FlySafe FIR Status Detection retrieved 2026-05-26T05:36:25.163Z
- FlySafe Traffic Snapshot retrieved 2026-05-26T05:36:25.765Z
- FlySafe FIR Centers retrieved 2026-05-26T05:36:25.707Z
- EASA CZIB retrieved 2026-05-26T05:36:25.717Z
- AIRAC Cycle retrieved 2026-05-26T05:36:25.825Z
Update Log
Middle East Airspace — Frequently Asked Questions
Common search queries answered with current status, FIR codes, and source citations.
- Is Middle East airspace open currently?
- Most Middle East FIRs remain operational for commercial overflight currently. Restricted FIRs include OIIX (Tehran), ORBB (Baghdad), and OSDI (Damascus) where active EASA Conflict Zone Information Bulletins apply. UAE airspace (OMAE) and Qatar (OTDF) remain open with occasional precautionary closures of 1–6 hours. FIR status is updated continuously from EASA CZIB and NOTAM data.
- Is it safe to fly to Dubai currently?
- Dubai (DXB, OMDB) operations continue at scheduled frequency. UAE airspace experienced four precautionary closures of 1–6 hours each during March 2026, with normal operations resuming after each event. Passengers transiting DXB should allow reasonable connection margin during the current monitoring period. Numerical airspace indices are updated from public sources including UAE GCAA and EASA bulletins. FlySafe does not provide travel advice — check official channels before booking.
- Which Middle East FIRs have active EASA CZIBs currently?
- Three EASA Conflict Zone Information Bulletins remain active for the region: OIIX (Tehran FIR), ORBB (Baghdad FIR), and OSDI (Damascus FIR). Each CZIB specifies minimum advised operating altitudes or full FIR avoidance for EU-registered operators. CZIB identifiers and the full bulletin texts are published on the EASA website.
- Are commercial flights affected in the Persian Gulf?
- Scheduled services by major Gulf carriers (Emirates, Etihad, Qatar Airways, Saudia, Gulf Air, Kuwait Airways) operate to and from the unrestricted hubs DXB, DOH, AUH, and RUH. Transit flows remain stable. Carriers serving restricted FIRs operate narrower route portfolios and may experience higher schedule variability.
- When was the Middle East airspace status last verified?
- The FIR status table on this briefing was verified on 2026-04-23 against EASA CZIB, FAA NOTAM, and UAE GCAA bulletins. The next scheduled automated review is 2026-04-30. The Last Verified badge at the top of the page reflects the timestamp of the most recent automated source check.
FlySafe provides automated computation of numerical indices from publicly available data. Indices are raw computational output and do not represent opinions, assessments, recommendations, or advice of any kind. They do not replace official NOTAMs, SIGMETs, AIPs, or communications from aviation authorities. Operators must independently verify current airspace status through official channels. See Terms of Service for full details.