Italian flag-carrier ITA Airways has suspended all services to Tel Aviv until at least 7 March and cancelled its Dubai rotation through 1 March after the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) issued an emergency Conflict Zone Information Bulletin covering vast swathes of Middle-Eastern airspace. The measure follows overnight U.S.–Israeli strikes on Iran on 28 February 2026 and Tehran’s missile retaliation that triggered the closure of Iranian, Iraqi, Kuwaiti, Bahraini and Qatari skies.
ITA’s decision mirrors that of Air France-KLM, Lufthansa Group and British Airways, but represents a larger proportional cut for Italian travellers because Tel Aviv is a key route for technology and defence firms and Dubai is an important cargo hub feeding the Italian fashion and luxury-goods sectors. The carrier says affected passengers can rebook or seek refunds and is rerouting essential travel via Cairo and Athens where security overflights are still authorised.
Operationally, long-haul flights between Rome or Milan and destinations in India, Southeast Asia and Australia now bypass the Gulf entirely, lengthening block times by up to 90 minutes and adding fuel-stop contingency costs. Global mobility teams should factor in potential duty-of-care implications for assignees stranded in transit and review insurance cover for war-risk exclusions.
![ITA Airways halts Tel Aviv and Dubai flights as Italy joins airspace avoidance after Iran strike]()
In such rapidly shifting circumstances, travellers suddenly needing new routing options may also require fresh visas or transit permits. VisaHQ’s Italy portal (https://www.visahq.com/italy/) streamlines emergency applications and provides real-time entry-requirement updates, giving corporate travel managers and individual passengers a quick way to keep trips compliant despite last-minute itinerary changes.
Air-freight forwarders warn that perishable exports such as Parma ham and fresh mozzarella shipped in belly-hold compartments could face spoilage risks if off-loaded during diversions. The Italian Civil Aviation Authority (ENAC) has activated a crisis unit and advises travellers to check flight status up to the moment of departure.
Although the suspension is officially labelled “temporary,” aviation analysts say the Tel Aviv route—already volatile since the Gaza conflict—may not resume on a daily basis until regional security stabilises, forcing businesses to rely on multi-stop itineraries or videoconferencing for the foreseeable future.
ITA’s decision mirrors that of Air France-KLM, Lufthansa Group and British Airways, but represents a larger proportional cut for Italian travellers because Tel Aviv is a key route for technology and defence firms and Dubai is an important cargo hub feeding the Italian fashion and luxury-goods sectors. The carrier says affected passengers can rebook or seek refunds and is rerouting essential travel via Cairo and Athens where security overflights are still authorised.
Operationally, long-haul flights between Rome or Milan and destinations in India, Southeast Asia and Australia now bypass the Gulf entirely, lengthening block times by up to 90 minutes and adding fuel-stop contingency costs. Global mobility teams should factor in potential duty-of-care implications for assignees stranded in transit and review insurance cover for war-risk exclusions.
In such rapidly shifting circumstances, travellers suddenly needing new routing options may also require fresh visas or transit permits. VisaHQ’s Italy portal (https://www.visahq.com/italy/) streamlines emergency applications and provides real-time entry-requirement updates, giving corporate travel managers and individual passengers a quick way to keep trips compliant despite last-minute itinerary changes.
Air-freight forwarders warn that perishable exports such as Parma ham and fresh mozzarella shipped in belly-hold compartments could face spoilage risks if off-loaded during diversions. The Italian Civil Aviation Authority (ENAC) has activated a crisis unit and advises travellers to check flight status up to the moment of departure.
Although the suspension is officially labelled “temporary,” aviation analysts say the Tel Aviv route—already volatile since the Gaza conflict—may not resume on a daily basis until regional security stabilises, forcing businesses to rely on multi-stop itineraries or videoconferencing for the foreseeable future.
