Officials at Muscat International Airport in Oman have instructed private aircraft operators to stop scheduling extra flights as regional airspace restrictions continue disrupting travel throughout the Middle East, Reuters reported Friday based on internal communications.
Airport management sent a message to charter flight companies stating that “flight movements are restricted to approved seasonal scheduled services only” due to current crisis protocols at the facility.
Authorities explained the limitations were implemented to control overcrowding and keep airport operations within manageable capacity levels.
The directive, initially covered by the Financial Times, instructed all carriers and operators to eliminate any reserved time slots not part of the standard seasonal flight schedule and to stop requesting approval for unauthorized flights until conditions improve.
The communication specified that “embassy-sponsored repatriation flights” would be the sole exception during this period, but only with advance diplomatic approval and under the condition that “no commercial sale of seats is undertaken in connection with such operations.”
The escalating conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran has triggered flight suspensions across Middle Eastern nations, forcing airlines and government officials to address the needs of thousands of displaced travelers.
Regional airspace remains largely restricted due to security threats from missiles and drones, prompting some individuals to seek private aircraft while charter services and reduced commercial flights work to transport tens of thousands of affected passengers.
People have paid premium rates to leave the Middle East region, rushing to departure points or traveling overland to less affected transportation centers, with military aircraft sometimes providing escort services for civilian flights.
