The Iran conflict has triggered some of the most severe airspace closures in years, forcing UK airlines to reroute or cancel flights across the Middle East. Iran’s airspace is fully closed, while Bahrain, Iraq, Israel, Kuwait, Qatar, Syria and the UAE have imposed restrictions, creating long detours and higher fuel burn. These longer routes add hours to journeys and strain crew schedules, increasing the likelihood of cascading delays. UK carriers have already cut direct services into the conflict zone, with flights to Iran suspended entirely and Israel/Palestine operating only on a limited or repatriation basis.