Ongoing airspace closures in the Middle East has placed strain on air traffic controllers, with staff in some regions now managing twice the number of aircraft than usual.
Due to ongoing US-Israel attacks, Iranian airspace remains completely closed. While very restricted schedule of flights are now operating out of the UAE and Qatar, the authorities in Bahrain and Kuwait are yet to open their skies. As strategic stopover points on flights between Europe and APAC, the closure of these strategic aviation hubs has changed the map of aviation operations.
High traffic corridors are emerging as aircraft avoid the conflict zone. Source: FlightRadar, accessed 20/03/2026
The major airlines in this region, including Emirates, Etihad, and Qatar Airways, usually operate 1,500 flights a day, spanning 389,000 seats. Traffic that would pass through the Gulf is now being forced to reroute, placing a strain on aircraft management but also air traffic control. ATC staff in Egypt and the Caucuses are now managing significantly more flights than they would do usually as flights are remapped to avoid the conflict zone.
Individual controllers usually manage around six flights at a time. But in the current emergency environment, they may handle twice that number. Former controller Brian Roche told the BBC:
The controllers at the moment are working unbelievable shifts, [dealing with] unbelievable amounts of traffic.
While ATC protocols are ready to handle sudden upsurges in traffic, it’s uncertain how long the current pressures will continue, with the conflict showing no signs of abating. Controllers might be highly trained to manage stressful scenarios, but the toll of intense concentration should not be underestimated. Aviation authorities need to be sure that staff are well-supported during this stressful period to ensure operations continue to run smoothly in spite of the disruption.
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