US sanctions disrupt Iran flights, send ticket prices soaring
New US sanctions targeting Iranian airlines have disrupted international flights, forcing travellers to take lengthy detours and pay sharply higher fares, with journeys from Tehran to Dubai now taking up to 18 hours and costing more than $1,000.
In late September, direct flights between Tehran and Dubai took less than three hours and typically cost between $100 and $200.
The disruption followed a September 23 deadline for companies to stop providing services to Iranian airlines, leading to the suspension of direct flights between Iran and the United Arab Emirates.
As part of its sanctions campaign, Washington targeted 27 Iranian airlines and warned airports, fuel suppliers, ground-handling companies and other foreign service providers that they could face secondary sanctions.
These measures could restrict their access to the US financial system.
The restrictions have affected air connections between Iran and several countries, including the UAE, Azerbaijan and Georgia.
Flights to Muscat and Baghdad were also halted, while some services to Turkiye and the Iraqi pilgrimage city of Najaf were cancelled or disrupted.
The impact became apparent on September 24, when an Iranian flight travelling from Tehran to Dushanbe was forced to return after being denied permission to enter Turkmenistan’s airspace.
Although routes to destinations including Moscow, Istanbul, Yerevan, Najaf and Guangzhou in China have continued operating, Iran’s international flight network remains severely restricted.
Most international airlines have yet to resume services to the country following the US-Israeli war on Iran.
Travellers face rising costs
The disruption has created difficulties for people travelling to Iran for medical treatment, work and family visits.
Amir, a US resident whose mother needs medical care in Iran, told Al Jazeera that the family had planned to travel during a period of relative calm.
However, the sanctions disrupted their plans, forcing them to consider travelling through Istanbul and waiting hours or even days for a connecting flight.
He said purchasing Iranian airline tickets from outside the country had also become difficult, adding to the challenges faced by his ill mother.
The sanctions have also affected Iran’s travel industry.
Majid Hosseini-Nejad, founder of Alibaba Travel Group, said around 20% of flights from Iran to international destinations had been suspended, reducing revenue for airlines and ticket-booking services.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry said on October 11 that its Department of Economic Affairs was continuing efforts to facilitate flights to international destinations.
However, travellers continue to face delays, last-minute cancellations and diversions.
An Iranian national who regularly travels between Tehran and Muscat for work said journeys now take several times longer and cost significantly more than before.
Uncertainty remains over when suspended routes will resume and whether travel costs will return to previous levels.