Polish carrier LOT cancels flights to Dubai, Riyadh amid Middle East tensions
Poland's national airline PLL LOT has cancelled all flights to Dubai until March 4 and to Riyadh in Saudi Arabia until March 8, following the latest escalation in the US-Israeli war against Iran, the carrier’s spokesperson said on Monday.
"Due to the situation in the region and in line with the recommendations of the European Union Aviation Safety Agency, LOT Polish Airlines has made the decision to cancel the next two connections to Dubai until March 4 and to Riyadh until March 8," LOT's spokesman Krzysztof Moczulski wrote on X on Monday. "PLL LOT's operational services are in constant contact with the passengers regarding any changes in the reservations."
The carrier added that its flights to Tel Aviv remain suspended until March 15. LOT does not operate any connections to Qatar.
LOT said that it was providing assistance to the passengers whose flights have been cancelled. "We are assisting them in modifying their reservations for other local airlines, as well as arranging returns to Warsaw through alternative routes," Moczulski wrote.
Following Saturday's strikes on Iran by the United States and Israel, several Middle Eastern countries closed their airspace. On Saturday morning, a LOT flight en route to Dubai was forced to return to Warsaw. That same day, Poland's foreign ministry warned on X that, due to large-scale military operations in the region, further airspace closures and disruptions to air traffic over Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon and Syria were possible.
The move comes amid a sharp escalation in regional tensions. On Saturday morning, the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran, killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several senior officials. Tehran responded with attacks on US military bases in Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Bahrain, as well as strikes on targets in Israel. (PAP)
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