Flights Forced to Turn Around After Iran Conflict Closes Airspace

Two long-haul flights by American Airlines and Emirates were among those impacted by the airspace closures.

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

An Emirates Airbus A380 flight from Auckland, New Zealand to Dubai and an American Airlines flight from Philadelphia to Doha, Qatar were forced to turn around and return to their departure airports after the conflict with Iran led to the closure of airspace in the Gulf region. The Emirates flight spent over 15 hours in the air before returning to Auckland, while the American Airlines flight crossed the Atlantic and Mediterranean before turning back to Philadelphia after 15.5 hours.

Why it matters

The disruption to flights highlights the critical importance of the Middle East as a global aviation hub, with the region's major airlines like Qatar Airways, Emirates, and Etihad carrying tens of thousands of transit passengers daily. The airspace closures forced many flights to reroute, causing significant operational challenges and financial impacts for airlines.

The details

The Emirates Airbus A380 took off from Auckland expecting a 16-hour flight to Dubai, but 8 hours into the journey was forced to turn around and head back to Auckland. Meanwhile, the American Airlines Boeing 787 Dreamliner flight from Philadelphia to Doha crossed the Atlantic and Mediterranean before turning back to its departure airport after 15.5 hours in the air. Both flights were among dozens impacted as Gulf countries closed their airspaces in response to the conflict with Iran.

  • The Emirates flight took off from Auckland around 8pm local time on Saturday.
  • The American Airlines flight departed Philadelphia around 8pm on Friday.
  • The Emirates flight returned to Auckland after 15 hours and 37 minutes in the air.
  • The American Airlines flight landed back in Philadelphia after 15 hours and 32 minutes.

The players

Emirates

A major international airline based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates that operates a large global route network.

American Airlines

One of the largest airlines in the world, headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas.

Qatar Airways

The national airline of Qatar and one of the largest global carriers, with a major hub in Doha.

Etihad

The national airline of the United Arab Emirates, based in Abu Dhabi and operating an extensive international route network.

Cirium

An aviation analytics firm that provides data and insights on the global airline industry.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What’s next

The closure of airspace in the Gulf region is expected to continue disrupting flights in the coming days, with American Airlines canceling its Doha-bound flight for the next three days. Airlines will need to continue rerouting flights around the affected airspace, which could lead to longer travel times and higher costs.

The takeaway

The forced turnarounds of these long-haul flights highlight the critical role the Middle East plays as a global aviation hub, with the region's major carriers connecting passengers from around the world. The airspace closures have caused significant operational challenges and financial impacts for airlines, underscoring the vulnerability of the global air travel network to geopolitical conflicts.