The situation between Israel and Iran has dramatically deteriorated over the last few days. The use of missiles from both sides has had a massive impact on air traffic and travel advice for those planning to head to the region.
After a surprise attack from Israel on Iran on Friday, June 13, the situation between the two countries has escalated rapidly. Iran has launched several waves of missiles at Israel since the initial attack. You can follow live updates of the conflict here.
It’s a dangerous time to be in one of the affected countries, so here is all the latest travel advice about travelling to Israel, Iran, and the neighbouring countries amidst the unstable situation.
Should I travel to Jordan, Lebanon and the surrounding region?
If you have a trip booked to any neighbouring or nearby countries, check the latest advice about travelling, and ensure you keep an eye on local media and ‘remain vigilant’.
The UK Government issued a series of new advisories for destinations which include popular tourist spots like Cyprus, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia and the UAE.
Where has been affected by the conflict?
Iran, Iraq, Jordan and Syria closed their airspace following the strikes, but after initially announcing a closure, Lebanon has said it will reopen its airspace until further notice. Air traffic is now being diverted south via Egypt and Saudi Arabia and north via Türkiye and Azerbaijan.
Have flights been cancelled?
Due to the air strikes there was a sudden closure of Middle East air space, and thousands of flights have been disrupted. According to Euronews, the following airlines have paused, cancelled or altered their flight schedules for at least the next few days, due to the escalating situation: Emirates, flydubai, Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways, Lufthansa, Swiss, Air France, KLM, Wizz Air, Ryanair, Delta Air, El Al, Israir.
If you’re set to fly with one of these, check your journey status directly with the operator.
What is the UK Foreign Office saying?
As of June 15, the UK Foreign Office officially advises against all travel to Israel, with the travel advice page being updated with the following statement: ‘We recognise this is a fast-moving situation that poses significant risks. The situation has the potential to deteriorate further, quickly and without warning. The current situation has disrupted air links out of the country and may disrupt road links. We encourage you to read the FCDO’s advice on if you’re affected by a crisis abroad.’
As for travel to Egypt, the travel advice page was updated on June 14, reading: ‘Due to ongoing developments in connection with the Global March on Gaza, travellers will want to review existing advice in the section on Safety and Security. We advise against all travel towards North Sinai’.
For more information, you can head to the Foreign Office’s Travel Advice page and search the latest advice for where you might be headed.
What if I have booked a package holiday to Egypt?
It seems that package holidays are going ahead as usual, but if you want to reschedule then it would be best to reach out to your operator. However, it’s unlikely you will automatically be entitled to a refund for cancelling, as travel advice has not recommended against all travel to Egypt.
However, because the Foreign Office advises against all travel to parts of Egypt, be sure to check the latest advice on the page here, as ignoring said advice could invalidate your travel insurance.
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