KLM cancels Middle East flights amid rising regional tensions
KLM announced Friday that it will temporarily suspend flights over Iran, Iraq, Israel, and parts of the Gulf region due to escalating geopolitical tensions, the airline reports. The airline has canceled flights to Dubai, Tel Aviv, Riyadh, and Dammam, citing safety concerns, although no official flight bans have been imposed in the region.
A KLM spokesperson said the decision was made "out of precaution" and confirmed that the airline is coordinating with the Dutch government. "We make these assessments ourselves every day," the spokesperson said. "We're in touch with authorities and make our own safety decisions, but there is no flight ban."
Passengers stranded in destinations such as Dubai or Dammam may book alternative flights with carriers still operating in the region, the spokesperson added, noting that KLM does not arrange those flights for them. KLM personnel currently in Dubai and Dammam are being retrieved.
Dutch caretaker Minister of Foreign Affairs Van Weel said on television that "the situation is tense; the troop buildup is ongoing. If the Americans were to act, they may not inform others in advance. It is a risk assessment KLM makes, and they are responsible for it." He added that the Dutch embassy in Tehran "is open and functioning."
European and international authorities have issued warnings about the safety of flying over Iran. Last week, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) advised airlines to avoid Iranian airspace due to the risk posed by weapons, air defense systems, and unpredictable military responses. Lufthansa and other carriers have already altered flight paths over Iran and Iraq.
The airline actions follow weeks of violent protests in Iran against the regime of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in which thousands have died, according to multiple reports. U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened military intervention if the violence against demonstrators continues and announced that an "armada," including the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln and guided-missile destroyers, is en route to the region. Trump has specified two red lines for Iran: the killing of peaceful protesters and mass executions of prisoners.
