Thousands of passengers are facing major disruptions to flights today after Israel launched attacks on targets in Iran.

Airspace across Iran, Iraq, Israel and Jordan was plunged into chaos after Israel launched a missile attack on Iran overnight on Friday. It prompted a scramble to divert dozens of flights and alter scheduled services, leaving thousands of passengers stranded in unexpected destinations.

Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport is closed until further notice, and major carriers including Emirates, Lufthansa, Air France, United, and Delta have cancelled flights to the region.

If you are travelling to affected countries or have a trip planned, here are the latest updates and advice from authorities.

Flights halted to Israel airport and Iranian airspace closed

Dozens of flights to and from Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport were cancelled or delayed on Friday, including Etihad Airways, Delta Air Lines and Air France services.

Israel’s flag carrier, El Al Airlines, has suspended flights to and from Israel and has said it is moving some of its planes out of the country as it braces for retaliation from Iran.

Israeli airline Israir is also evacuating its fleet from Tel Aviv’s airport, which it said was expected to remain out of operation over the weekend.

Many international airlines had already halted services to and from the airport after a missile fired by Yemen’s Houthi rebels on 4 May landed nearby.

After the strike, Iran, Iraq, Jordan and Syria closed their airspace. Aviation authorities in Iran have closed the country’s airspace until further notice, according to state media reports.

Tehran’s Mehrabad Airport will remain closed until 1:30 am on Saturday, state news agency IRNA reported on Friday afternoon.

Amman’s Queen Alia International Airport in the Jordanian capital has not said when it would reopen and is advising passengers to contact their airlines.

Syria’s civil Aviation Authority chief Ashhad al-Salibi told the official SANA news agency that Syrian airspace would be “temporarily closed” until 3 pm (2 pm CEST) as part of “precautionary measures”. Jordan has now reopened its airspace to allow through traffic with prior permission.

Early on Friday, Iraq also suspended all traffic at its airports, according to state media reports.

The country’s eastern border with Iran is one of the busiest air traffic corridors in the world, where many flights cross from Europe into Asia. Eurocontrol estimates that at least 1,800 flights have so far been impacted on Friday to and from Europe alone.

Flights over Iran diverted and rerouted

Iran’s Imam Khomeini International Airport swiftly halted both inbound and outbound traffic following the strike, with 16 flights cancelled on Friday.

Flights which were in Iranian airspace when news of the strikes hit were diverted or returned to their point of departure.

Air traffic is being diverted either south, via Egypt and Saudi Arabia, or north, via Turkey, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan.

More than 10 international flights that were forced to change their routes landed at Heydar Aliyev International Airport in Baku, Azerbaijan. Among these flights were those operated by leading airlines such as AJet, Fly Dubai, Air Arabia, Jazeera Airways, Etihad Airways, and Turkish Airlines.

A total of 29 flights carrying 2,427 passengers were diverted to Cyprus, with 20 flights from Europe and the US landing in Larnaca and 9 in Pafos. Diverted passengers will be offered hotel rooms, local media said.

About 1,800 flights to and from Europe have been affected so far on Friday.

Which airlines have cancelled flights?

Lufthansa has suspended flights to Tehran and said it would avoid Iranian, Iraqi and Israeli airspace for the time being. The airline has halted flights to Tehran and Tel Aviv until 31 July, and its flights to Amman, Beirut and Erbil in Iraqi Kurdistan until 20 June.

Swiss, Switzerland’s national carrier, which is also owned by Lufthansa, has suspended all flights to Tel Aviv until October, and flights to Beirut have been suspended until the end of July.

Low-cost carrier flydubai said it had suspended flights to Amman, Beirut, Damascus, Iran and Israel. Several other flights operated by the airline have been cancelled, rerouted or returned to their departure airports.

Emirates has cancelled flights to and from Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Iran on Friday and some on Saturday.

Qatar Airways said it had “temporarily cancelled” flights to Iran and Iraq due to the current situation in the region.

Etihad Airways, the UAE’s national carrier, also cancelled services from Tel Aviv on Friday and had rerouted some services.

Hungarian-based budget airline Wizz Air has suspended flights to Tel Aviv and rerouted flights impacted by the closed airspace for the next 72 hours.

Air France flights to and from Tel Aviv have been suspended “until further notice” after the closure of Israeli airspace, as has Ryanair. Dutch airline KLM has cancelled all flights to Tel Aviv until at least 1 July.

Delta Air Lines has advised passengers that travel to, from or through Tel Aviv may be affected until 30 June.

Israeli airline El Al has cancelled all its scheduled flights to and from Israel on Friday and Saturday over security concerns and possible Iranian counterattacks, DPA reported. The airline, which is known for operating its routes even in times of conflict, urged passengers to make provisions for overnight stays abroad until the security situation changes.

El Al said it would allow passengers with departure tickets until 28 June to cancel them and convert them into travel vouchers.

New bookings for flights scheduled through 22 June have been suspended until the situation is clarified.

Many other flights have been cancelled, rerouted or returned to their departure airports. If you have a flight booked to affected countries, including Lebanon, Jordan and Azerbaijan, you are advised to monitor airline and airport websites closely for updates.

What is the latest government advice for travelling to Iran?

The UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) advises against all travel to Iran.

It warns that British and British-Iranian dual nationals are at significant risk of arrest, questioning or detention. Having a British passport or connections to the UK can be reason enough for the Iranian authorities to detain you, it adds.

If you choose to travel to Iran against official government advice, research your destinations and get appropriate travel insurance. Insurance should cover your itinerary, planned activities and expenses in an emergency.

Spain’s foreign ministry has issued a warning for Iran stating, “Current travel recommendations against travel to Iran under any circumstances are reiterated.”

It also says that it has not excluded the possibility of the situation deteriorating in the coming days. The ministry recommends travellers follow updates closely on the social media and communications channels of the Spanish Embassy in Tehran.

Romania’s Foreign Ministry (MAE) asked its citizens in Israel to notify their representatives in the country of their presence and to follow the instructions of local authorities.

The institution also issued a recommendation to avoid travel to Iran, in the context of Israel’s aerial strikes on Iranian nuclear installations.

Bulgaria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has similarly called on citizens who are in the territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran to leave the country immediately.

“Those who have to stay should strictly adhere to the security instructions of the local authorities, as well as regularly inform themselves about the situation, avoid places that are military sites or where events related to the gathering of many people are held,” the Foreign Ministry said.

Preventive measures to increase security in case of an escalation of the crisis were discussed, as well as possible approaches for the evacuation of Bulgarian citizens from the Middle East region.

Am I covered by travel insurance if I travel to Iran?

Foreign offices warn that your travel insurance could be invalidated if you travel against their advice. This means going to areas where they have issued a ‘no-go’ warning or advise against all but essential travel.

If you do so, you are likely to be left without coverage for incidents, including medical emergencies and evacuations.

It may also mean that if you are arrested or put in detention, your country’s embassy or officials have limited ability to help you.

If you have booked with a travel agent or tour operator, contact the company directly to understand your options.

The summer of 2024 was a tipping point for many destinations in Europe, as soaring visitor numbers caused tourism to become a burden rather than a benefit.

With mass tourism showing no signs of slowing in 2025, many hotspots have brought in measures to mitigate its negative effects.

Some moves seemed obvious: limiting cruise ships, increasing tourist taxes and capping visitor numbers.

But other efforts to curb visitor numbers have made headlines thanks to outside-the-box thinking from both officials and residents.

Here are some of the strangest overtourism measures that have been brought in so far this year.

Notting Hill residents paint iconic coloured houses black

Notting Hill, a neighbourhood in West London, first gained tourist fame in the 90s thanks to the eponymous romantic film starring Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant.

More recently, its photogenic, candy-coloured houses have made the area a social media darling.

But the crowds of snap-happy tourists have begun to frustrate residents, who are raising complaints about litter, noise and a lack of privacy.

Locals report incidents of influencers walking up to front doors to take pictures, setting out picnics, and even asking one homeowner to go inside so as not to ruin a photo.

Now, some residents have resorted to painting their houses in less eye-catching hues like black and grey to deter the cameras.

Homeowners have also erected ‘quiet zone’ signs and hung chains and ropes in front of the stairs leading up to their front doors.

Police check hikers’ footwear in Italy’s Cinque Terre

Italy’s Cinque Terre is famous for its sunny-coloured, cliff-clinging villages linked by vertiginous walking paths.

The hiking routes draw thousands of visitors in spring and summer, to the extent that the Cinque Terre national park authorities have had to introduce safety measures.

As well as introducing one-way systems, park authorities brought in a ban on open or smooth-soled footwear (like flip-flops) in 2019.

Inappropriate shoes can cost a would-be hiker a fine ranging from €50 to €2,500.

In the latest online guidelines for visiting the park, officials now say checks will be carried out by police to ensure walkers are properly kitted out.

Barcelona creates special selfie zone at Sagrada Familia

Until recently, Plaça Gaudí, the square in front of the Sagrada Familia church, had been exploited by tourists for a TikTok trend that caused considerable disruption.

It involved visitors balancing their phones on metro escalators to film themselves while the iconic monument appeared in the background. The trend led to tourists clogging station exits and was eventually banned.

Barcelona city council has now decided to construct a special zone beside the Sagrada Familia where visitors can take a breather – and a selfie – before entering the church.

The 6,200-square-metre ‘anteroom’ will be located between the Nativity façade of the basilica and Plaça Gaudí on Carrer de la Marina.

Benidorm cracks down on renting mobility scooters

In the Spanish resort town of Benidorm, authorities have announced hefty fines for the inappropriate use of mobility scooters.

Police say tourists have been renting the vehicles for fun and without proper insurance, and driving around at dangerous speeds.

The council has now emphasised that the use of mobility scooters is strictly limited to those with a genuine need.

Visitors violating the rules face fines of up to €500.

Published on 10/06/2025 – 16:35 GMT+2

Europe’s rail renaissance is showing no signs of slowing as high-speed rail operator Eurostar reveals ambitious plans to expand its network.

The company says it will introduce direct train connections from London to Germany and Switzerland, in what it calls the dawn of a “new golden age of international sustainable travel”.

The operator is also enhancing its existing offering by increasing services on popular routes.

Here’s what travellers can look forward to.

Eurostar’s proposed expansion includes establishing direct rail links between London St Pancras International and two key European destinations: Frankfurt in Germany and Geneva in Switzerland.

The company plans to invest approximately €2 billion to acquire a substantial fleet of up to 50 new trains for the routes.

These new services are expected to begin operating during the early 2030s and aim to rival air travel for the same trips.

And journey times make the rail alternative attractive. Passengers travelling between London and Frankfurt can expect to arrive in approximately five hours, while those heading to Geneva will make the journey in around five hours and 20 minutes.

Eurostar has not yet released details on intermediate stops and whether passengers will have the flexibility to get on and off at various points along the route.

The new services are particularly aimed at business travel, with Eurostar’s Chief Executive, Gwendoline Cazenave, highlighting that the destinations are “big financial hubs”.

Frankfurt and Geneva are also tourist hotspots, filled with culture, striking architecture and international events.

Dates for the launch remain approximate as there are still several logistical challenges to implementing these new routes.

These include expanding passenger facilities at destination stations, establishing new border control checkpoints, and securing track access agreements.

Despite these hurdles, Cazenave remains optimistic about the project’s success, citing strong commitment from Eurostar, passenger demand, and government support.

Eurostar to increase services along popular routes

Eurostar’s expanded fleet will also enable it to increase frequency on popular routes.

This includes boosting daily return services between London and Paris from 17 to 20.

The company has also confirmed plans to introduce a fourth daily return service between St Pancras and Amsterdam beginning on 9 September, with a fifth service added from mid-December.

Currently, Eurostar operates services connecting London to Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam, and seasonal routes to the French Alps during the winter sports season. It also runs train links within Belgium, France, Germany and the Netherlands.

The operator transported 19.5 million passengers last year – a five per cent increase from 18.6 million in 2023. The London-Paris route proved most popular with 280,000 passengers, followed by London-Brussels with 250,000 passengers.

While Eurostar currently enjoys a monopoly on passenger services through the Channel Tunnel, several competitors are developing plans to challenge this, including Virgin Group, Italy’s FS Italiane Group, and Gemini Trains.