EURAMI issues advisory on Middle East airspace amid military escalation

Due to the ongoing military developments in the Middle East, the European Aero-Medical Institute (EURAMI) is receiving numerous enquiries regarding flight feasibility to the region and onward to Asia and Africa. The organization has released an operational assessment highlighting significant restrictions and safety risks.

EURAMI points out that the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), in its Conflict Zone Information Bulletin 2026-03-R1, “has issued an explicit recommendation not to use the entire airspace at all altitudes” in flight information regions (FIRs) covering Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Saudi Arabia. The Agency cited risks from military operations, air defense systems, ballistic missiles, and aircraft capable of operating at all altitudes.

On eastbound routes, EURAMI notes that northern paths via Russia are unavailable for European Union (EU) operators, central routes through Iran or Iraq are restricted, and southern paths across the Arabian Peninsula remain high-risk. The organization warns that “long-haul flights toward South or Southeast Asia are currently only possible with substantial detours or – depending on the destination – may be temporarily infeasible”.

Restrictions also affect flights to East and Central Africa, with additional no-fly zones in Sudan, Yemen, and parts of the Horn of Africa, creating challenges in fuel planning, air traffic control reliability, and diversion security.

For repatriation flights, the UAE’s Civil Aviation Authority classifies the current risk as “Extreme”, citing military activity, sudden airspace closures, air traffic control (ATC) disruptions, and rapid escalation. EURAMI emphasizes: “A general approval or blanket statement regarding feasibility is currently not possible.”

The Institute stresses that patient, crew, and medical personnel safety remain the top priority and that operations must adhere to EASA, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and national authority guidance, with routes and risks assessed daily.