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Following the U.S.-Israeli military strikes on Iran on February 28, 2026, several Middle Eastern countries closed their airspace. These closures had direct consequences on air traffic departing from Morocco: Royal Air Maroc cancelled several flights as early as Saturday, and on Sunday, March 1, aircraft operated by Gulf carriers were grounded or forced to turn back from Casablanca Mohammed V Airport.
Sunday, March 1: An Etihad Flight Turns Back Over Tunisia
The most well-documented incident of the day involved an Etihad Airways flight bound for Abu Dhabi, which had departed Casablanca early on the morning of Sunday, March 1. While the aircraft was flying over Tunisian airspace, the crew received an urgent notification that the air corridors along its route had been closed. The plane was forced to turn back and land again at Casablanca Mohammed V Airport.
This incident was reported by Rue20 and picked up by Bladi.net. It was not an isolated case: according to the aviation analysis platform Invezz, an Emirates Airbus A380 bound for San Francisco was also diverted to Dubai mid-flight for the same reason.
Airlines Affected at Casablanca
According to information published by Bladi.net (sourced from Rue20) and confirmed by Air Journal, the following airlines suspended their operations from Casablanca during this period:
- Etihad Airways: flights to/from Abu Dhabi suspended following the closure of UAE airspace.
- Emirates: flights to/from Dubai suspended or severely disrupted.
- Qatar Airways: temporary suspension of all flights to and from Doha.
- Gulf Air: operations suspended from Casablanca.
Affected passengers were taken care of by their respective airlines and, according to airport authorities cited by Rue20, transferred to hotels in Casablanca while awaiting a potential resumption of flights.
Why Do These Closures Have Such an Impact on Casablanca Mohammed V Airport?
The hubs of Dubai, Doha, and Abu Dhabi are global aviation crossroads. Emirates, Qatar Airways, and Etihad connect Africa, Europe, Asia, and Oceania through these hubs. Their simultaneous shutdown therefore has a cascade effect on dozens of destinations served from Casablanca via Gulf connections.
According to Air Journal, the following airspaces were closed to civilian flights as of March 1: Iran, Israel, Iraq, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Syria.
Royal Air Maroc: Cancellations from Saturday, February 28
Royal Air Maroc had anticipated the situation by issuing an official statement as early as 1:14 PM on Saturday, February 28. The airline stated that several flights had been cancelled due to airspace closures, and that further cancellations were possible. Confirmed cancelled flights included:
- Casablanca–Doha and return (Saturday, February 28)
- Casablanca–Dubai (overnight flight, Saturday to Sunday)
RAM asked passengers to check their booking status via the “Manage My Booking” section on www.royalairmaroc.com.
Munir El Haddadi: Moroccan International Stranded in Iran, Left the Country by Road
Among those directly affected by the closure of Iranian airspace is Munir El Haddadi, a 30-year-old Moroccan striker, former player of FC Barcelona, Sevilla, and Valencia, who has been playing for Esteghlal FC in Tehran since September 2025.
The player was at the airport, ready to board, when the airspace was shut down. In an Instagram story posted on Sunday, March 1, he described what happened: he had planned to leave Iran by plane, but was eventually asked to leave the aircraft without being able to take off. His club provided him with a vehicle to reach the Turkish border by road. The journey took 16 hours, according to several media outlets including CNews and L’Essentiel. He subsequently confirmed he was safe in Turkey before travelling on to Spain.
His Spanish teammate, goalkeeper Antonio Adán, had managed to board one of the last commercial flights out of Tehran on Friday, before the total airspace closure. The Iranian football league was fully suspended following the events.
What Affected Passengers Should Do
If you have a flight booked to the Middle East in the coming days, here are the steps to follow:
- Check your flight status before heading to the airport, directly on your airline’s website.
- For Royal Air Maroc, visit www.royalairmaroc.com, go to “Manage My Booking”, and update your contact details to receive real-time alerts.
- Find out about your options: most airlines are currently offering either a full refund or free rebooking for flights cancelled in connection with this conflict.
Morocco Airport will continue to monitor developments and keep you informed of any resumption or new disruptions affecting Moroccan airports.
