Emirates, Etihad and other UAE airlines cancel and divert flights amid airspace closures

UAE airlines are among several cancelling and rerouting flights as tensions between Iran and Israel escalate. Emirates, Etihad Airways and flydubai have scrapped some flights and rerouted others after Jordan, Israel, Lebanon and Iraq temporarily closed airspace in light of Iran's attack on Israel. Etihad, the national airline, cancelled flights to Tel Aviv and Amman on Sunday. It has also rerouted a number of European and North American flights to avoid closed airspace in the region. “This is likely to cause some disruption and delays to a number of flights over the course of the day,” a representative for the airline told The National. “Etihad Airways flights only operate through approved airspace. Safety is always our highest priority and we would never operate a flight unless it was safe to do so.” Dubai's Emirates also cancelled and rerouted flights due to temporary airspace closures. The airline is now resuming operations to Jordan, Lebanon and Iraq after these countries lifted airspace restrictions. “With the re-opening of these airspaces, we are resuming our scheduled operations to/from Jordan, Lebanon, and Iraq from the afternoon of April 14," an airline representative told The National. "We are closely monitoring the situation in co-ordination with the relevant authorities. Safety is always our top priority. Customers can check their flight status on emirates.com for the latest information.”<br/>