EU aviation safety agency extends advisory against flights in most Middle East, Gulf airspace until April 24

Mucahithan Avcioglu

• Regulator cites continuing military escalation, risks to civil aviation from misidentification, miscalculation, interception failures

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) extended its conflict-zone advisory on Thursday, telling airlines to avoid most Middle East and Gulf airspace until April 24, as regional hostilities continue to pose serious risks to civil aviation.

EASA said in its revised Conflict Zone Information Bulletin that the bulletin’s validity was extended until April 24 with “no changes to the content.” The advisory remains active and applies unless reviewed earlier.

The regulator said air operators should not operate in the affected airspace, including “all flight levels and altitudes” and covering Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, the UAE, and parts of Saudi Arabia, with a limited exception for certain higher-altitude operations in parts of Saudi and Omani airspace subject to strict risk assessment.

EASA said the advisory applies to EU air operators as well as third-country operators authorized by EASA when flying to, from and within the EU. The previous flight suspension deadline was April 10.

The agency said the bulletin was issued in response to the military escalation that began on Feb. 28, when the US and Israel conducted strikes in Iran, followed by Iranian retaliatory attacks, warning that the broader region faces spillover risks, including misidentification, miscalculation, and failures in interception procedures.