Key points
- “We are closely monitoring the situation”: American Airlines
- United Airlines has also suspended its daily flights between Newark and Dubai
ISLAMABAD: American Airlines has temporarily suspended its daily service from the US to Doha, Qatar, citing rising security concerns in the Middle East.
The move comes after the US embassy in Qatar issued a security alert urging American citizens and embassy staff to remain vigilant, avoid large gatherings and protests, and maintain a low profile, according to Gulf News.
The airline announced that its daily flight from Philadelphia to Doha will be paused until June 22, with the final outbound flight from Doha departing early Thursday morning.
“We are closely monitoring the situation with a focus on safety and security, and we’ll continue to adjust our operations as needed,” American Airlines said in a statement.
United Airlines halts Newark–Dubai route
United Airlines has also suspended its daily flights between Newark Liberty International Airport and Dubai as of Thursday. The airline said the route will resume “when it’s safe to do so.” According to CBS News, the airline did not say when flights between the two destinations might resume. United only flies to Dubai through Newark Airport.
Earlier this month, both United and Delta Air Lines had already suspended flights to Tel Aviv following Israeli airstrikes on Iran, Gulf News reported.
Major Middle East hubs affected for the first time
These recent suspensions mark the first time that major transit hubs such as Dubai and Doha—critical for long-haul travel between the US, Europe, and Asia—have experienced disruptions. Up until now, aviation impacts had largely been confined to countries bordering Israel or directly along Iranian missile trajectories.
According to their websites, Air France-KLM and Air Canada also canceled several flights this week to destinations like Dubai and Riyadh.
Regional airspace closures
Airspace closures reached a peak on Friday after Israel shut down all overflights and Iran suspended operations at Tehran’s main airport. Iraq, Syria, Jordan, and Lebanon have alternated between closing and reopening their airspace as tensions intensify.
Restricted access to key US air base
The US embassy in Qatar also reported temporary access restrictions to Al Udeid Air Base, a strategic installation used by US and allied forces in the region, Gulf News reported.
US travel advisory
According to CBS News, the US Embassy in Jerusalem told US citizens in Israel on Thursday that the State Department was making plans to “assist with private US citizens’ departure from Israel.” Some have been evacuated aboard cruise ships.
The State Department recently placed a Level 4 travel advisory on Israel, telling Americans not to travel there due to “armed conflict, terrorism and civil unrest.” Iran has been under a “Do Not Travel” advisory — the highest level — “due to the risk of terrorism, civil unrest, kidnapping, arbitrary arrest of US citizens and wrongful detention,” the State Department said.
