Planes have been grounded at Auckland Airport while airspace across the Middle East remains shut amid escalating conflict between Iran and the United States, Israel and their allies.
New Zealanders with travel plans through the region are being advised to check directly with their airline to change their itineraries or request a refund, with most travel insurance policies not covering war-related events.
Several Gulf states, including Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, have become caught in Iran’s retaliation to the US and Israel’s “pre-emptive” strikes on Tehran over the weekend, which targeted the Iranian leadership.
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, his daughter, son-in-law and grandchild were among those killed in the strikes, state media confirmed, with US President Donald Trump earlier saying the military campaign – dubbed Operation Epic Fury – would likely last weeks.
A spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) said the situation is “constantly evolving” with advice that can change quickly.
“Today, we anticipate sending information on the status of airspace and key airports in the Middle East to registered New Zealanders,” they said.
“We are closely co-ordinating with consular teams in a number of countries on how to help our people in the region.
“However, while attacks continue and airspace remains closed in many countries, our advice to New Zealanders is to shelter in place and leave when it is safe and possible to do so. Many other governments are taking the same approach.”
Most countries in the Middle East have either cancelled or restricted their airspace after the US and Israel’s joint strikes.
Volleys of missiles fired between the warring countries have caused extensive damage in Israel and Iran, while also killing or injuring people in the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan, Bahrain, Oman and Iraq.
As a result, the following countries have ordered a total closure of their airspace: Iran, Iraq, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Syria, the UAE and Israel.
Jordan and Saudi Arabia have a partial closure in place, limiting plane travel on the latter’s Iraqi and Persian Gulf borders, while Egypt’s and Oman’s airspaces remain open for now.
FlightRadar24 data shows the vast majority of airlines travelling through the region are being diverted towards two flight paths; either north of Iran, flying over the South Caucasus and Black Sea, or through central Saudi Arabia and to the left of the Suez Canal.
All Emirates and Qatar Airways services leaving Auckland Airport have been put on hold until further notice, with the airlines grounding some of their fleet at the city’s airport.
“The conflict in the Middle East has led to the closure of several key aviation hubs, disrupting flights to and from Auckland Airport that transit through Dubai and Doha,” a spokesperson for the airport said.
“Auckland Airport is supporting those airlines with aircraft parking and operational assistance while services are paused and airlines work through their plans to resume flying.
“Currently, one Qatar Airways 777 and two Emirates A380s are parked at AKL.”
The spokesperson encouraged travellers to contact their airline or travel agent directly for the most up-to-date information on their specific flights.
“Other international flights are operating as scheduled,” the spokesperson said.
On its website, Qatar Airways is advising all flights in and out of Doha “have been temporarily suspended”, and asked passengers to monitor its website or X account for updates.
Emirates said the UAE’s airspace is expected to be closed for at least the next 12 hours.
Customers booked on flights leaving before March 5 can either request a refund or be rebooked on an alternative flight in the coming weeks.
SafeTravel travel advisories have been updated across the Middle East to reflect the uncertainty in the region, “alongside updates to the ‘Middle East Security Situation’ alert”, the MFAT spokesperson said.
Travel advisories for Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, the UAE, Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories have been raised to their highest level, “Level 4 – Do not travel”, with MFAT attributing the move to “the deteriorating security situation in the Middle East and the current risk posed by military strikes and armed conflict”.
Advisories for Jordan, Oman and Saudi Arabia have also been raised to “Level 3 – Avoid non-essential travel”.
Advisories for Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria and Yemen remain at Level 4, having been in place since 2024.
Most local travel insurance policies do not cover claims related to the outbreak of war, meaning any cancelled trips, disruptions or evacuations stemming from these events are generally excluded.
“While we are unable to offer cover for events related to the outbreak of war and their impact on travellers, we can still offer cover for other aspects of our customers’ journeys, depending on their policy,” Southern Cross Travel Insurance’s chief customer officer Jess Strange said.
“At all times, we encourage travellers to follow expert advice and to keep an eye on the New Zealand government’s SafeTravel website for updates.”
For customers needing emergency medical assistance, transport arrangements, help following an unexpected event preventing their return or an extension of coverage, Strange advises they contact their insurance companies for support via phone or email.
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