All flights between the Middle East and the Maldives have been cancelled following joint US and Israeli attacks on Iran, raising fears of a wider regional war.
Nine flights were cancelled today as airspace closures across parts of the Middle East disrupted regional operations.
Iran has launched retaliatory strikes across the region in response to the US and Israeli attacks, prompting the suspension of flights through affected airspace.
Ahmed Shareef Mohamed, Managing Director of Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL), which operates Velana International Airport, said services from major destinations in the region had been suspended due to the large scale closure of Middle Eastern airspace.
He said MACL was working with resorts and airlines to manage the disruption.
Flights to and from Dubai, Sharjah, Bahrain, Abu Dhabi and Doha have all been suspended.
Dubai and Doha serve as key transit hubs for tourists travelling from Europe and other regions. The airspace closures are therefore expected to disrupt onward travel to the Maldives from those markets.
