Lufthansa, Cathay Extend Middle East Flight Suspensions

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Major international airlines, including Lufthansa and Cathay Pacific, have extended flight suspensions across key Middle Eastern destinations as regional tensions continue to escalate.

Lufthansa announced that all its regional services will remain suspended until the end of April, citing an increasingly “volatile situation” in the Middle East. The airline group—which operates subsidiaries such as Eurowings, Austrian Airlines, SWISS, and Brussels Airlines—also confirmed extended cancellations to several major cities, including Tehran, Beirut, Riyadh, and Abu Dhabi, until October 24.

Additionally, flights to Dubai and Tel Aviv have been suspended until May 31.

In a statement, Lufthansa said it is “continuously monitoring and assessing the situation in the Middle East” to ensure passenger safety.

Meanwhile, Cathay Pacific confirmed it has extended its suspension of flights to and from Dubai and Riyadh until May 31. Both airlines had initially halted several routes following military strikes by Israel and the United States on Iran starting February 28.

To accommodate shifting travel demand, Cathay Pacific announced additional flights between Hong Kong and major European cities such as Paris and Zurich, along with increased services to London. The airline noted a surge in demand for alternative routes that avoid Middle Eastern airspace.

Separately, the Hong Kong government has raised its travel alert level for Iran and Israel, warning of a “severe threat” and advising residents to avoid all travel to both countries.