Due to Iran’s overnight attacks on US military bases in Qatar and Iraq, some Middle Eastern countries have closed their airspace, causing disruptions to the region’s air traffic. The government stated last night that they are working to resolve the difficulties faced by tourists currently in and those planning to come to the Maldives. Following these attacks, Qatar, UAE, Bahrain, and Kuwait have closed their airspace.
However, after Iran’s attack, US President Donald Trump has now announced that both Israel and Iran have agreed to stop the intense attacks they have been launching against each other and have reached an agreement to establish a permanent peace. Before this, Qatar’s airspace, which serves as a major hub for air travel in the region, had reopened. Nevertheless, due to the airspace closures in these countries, many flights were diverted to other airports, resulting in numerous flight delays.
In relation to this, Tourism Minister Thoyyib Ibrahim posted on X (formerly Twitter) stating that they are closely monitoring the situation in the Middle East in collaboration with relevant stakeholders in the tourism sector. Transport Minister Mohamed Ameen said on X that although some flights to the Maldives were delayed last night due to the airspace closures in some Middle Eastern countries, flight operations have now resumed and are proceeding. However, he also mentioned that they are closely monitoring the situation of tourists from Western countries who are planning to travel to the Maldives via the Middle East.
