Dutch budget carrier Transavia has cancelled all flights to Dubai and suspended operations over Persian Gulf airspace due to geopolitical tensions in the region, the airline announced on January 24.

"In connection with the geopolitical situation in Iran, Iraq and Israel, we are temporarily and as a precautionary measure suspending flights through the airspace of these countries and a number of other Persian Gulf countries," the airline stated on its website. "Therefore, all flights to/from Dubai are cancelled until Monday, January 26."

The decision follows a similar move by Dutch flag carrier KLM, which on January 23 announced it would suspend flights over Iran, Iraq, Israel and several Gulf states due to regional tensions.

Dutch Foreign Minister David van Weel told NPO 2 television that KLM's suspension of flights over several Middle Eastern countries may have been prompted by the military buildup in the region and unpredictability surrounding US actions.

Transavia, a low-cost subsidiary of Air France-KLM, operates regular services between Amsterdam and Dubai. The airline said the suspension is a temporary precautionary measure.

Global airlines are watching the situation

Several other airlines have cautioned and cancelled flights in the past 24 hours to regional countries, according to the latest information available. 

The decision followed a similar move by parent company KLM, which on January 23 halted flights to Tel Aviv, Dubai, Dammam and Riyadh, confirming it would avoid the airspace of Iran, Iraq, Israel and several Gulf countries. Dutch Foreign Minister David van Weel told NPO 2 television that the suspensions may have been prompted by the military buildup in the region and unpredictability surrounding US actions.

Air France temporarily suspended flights to Dubai on January 23 and 24 before resuming service, stating it was monitoring the geopolitical situation "in real time to ensure the highest level of flight safety and security".

The French carrier has continued to assess the volatile situation whilst maintaining operations to the emirate.

Germany's Lufthansa Group has extended its suspension of Tehran flights until March 29 and restricted Israel operations to daytime flights only, whilst subsidiary Austrian Airlines has cancelled Vienna-Tehran services until at least February 16. Both carriers are avoiding Iranian and Iraqi airspace entirely.

British Airways suspended flights to Bahrain from January 16 to 20 as a precautionary measure and has cancelled Tel Aviv flights through January 25, despite not operating services to Iran. The British flag carrier said it would continue monitoring developments in the region, which hosts the US Navy's Fifth Fleet in Bahrain.

Emirates cancelled flights between Dubai and Tehran on January 23 and 24, whilst Turkish carrier Pegasus Airlines suspended most services from Istanbul to Iranian destinations including Tehran, Isfahan, Mashhad, Shiraz and Tabriz through the weekend.

North American carriers United Airlines and Air Canada have both cancelled flights to Tel Aviv, joining the wave of suspensions affecting key Middle Eastern hubs. Budget carrier Wizz Air is avoiding Iraqi and Iranian airspace, forcing some westbound flights from Dubai and Abu Dhabi to make refuelling stops in Cyprus or Greece.

Military operations over the Persian Gulf

To add to the complex situation over the Gulf area, a US Navy Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft has become the most-tracked flight globally on January 24, with more than 2,600 people monitoring its movements.

The military surveillance aircraft, departing from Awali in Bahrain, was flying at 20,000 feet over the Persian Gulf region at 17:21 UTC, according to flight tracking data from Flightradar24.

The Boeing P-8A Poseidon is a maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft used for anti-submarine warfare, intelligence gathering and surveillance operations. It is based on the Boeing 737 airframe, is equipped with advanced sensors and radar systems capable of monitoring surface vessels and submarines across vast areas of ocean.

The disruptions come as Trump confirmed a major US naval deployment to the Persian Gulf, including the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln and a submarine armed with 150 Tomahawk cruise missiles. Aviation safety organisations have issued warnings about potential disruption to civil air services from missiles and unmanned aircraft, whilst Iran closed its entire airspace for more than four hours last week amid fears of imminent US strikes.