Air Astana Group has announced major disruptions to flights to the Middle East on February 28 due to the closure of Iranian airspace and the unstable situation in the region, DKNews.kz reports.
Airlines confirmed that safety considerations remain the primary reason for the operational changes.
Flights returning and diverted
Several flights were forced to return to their departure airports or divert to alternate destinations.
The affected services include:
- KC263 Almaty–Medina
- KC653 Almaty–Doha
- KC205 Astana–Dubai
- KC207 Astana–Dubai
- KC897 Almaty–Dubai, diverted back to Almaty
- KC899 Almaty–Dubai, diverted to Delhi
- FlyArystan FS7617 Aktau–Dubai, diverted to an alternate airport
Officials stated that all flights to the Middle East scheduled for today have been cancelled.
Passengers advised to check flight status
The Air Astana group said it is closely monitoring the situation and working to resolve issues related to passenger evacuation and onward travel arrangements.
Passengers are advised to:
- regularly check their flight status
- monitor updates from official airline channels
- contact their place of ticket purchase for assistance
Free rebooking and refunds are available for tickets to Jeddah, Medina, and Dubai until March 6 inclusive.
Safety remains the top priority
Airline representatives emphasized that passenger and crew safety remains the highest priority.
Aviation experts note that airspace closures can have immediate ripple effects across international flight networks, often requiring rapid rerouting or cancellations to avoid risk.
Further updates are expected as the situation in the region develops.
