Simple Flying
Jake Hardiman
03 Mar 2026
For the last four years, users of flight tracking websites have been aware of a gaping hole in the map of the world where no commercial aircraft are flying. The gap in question is, of course, Ukraine, with airlines that would normally overfly the country choosing to avoid its airspace amid the Russian invasion. Now, however, a second gap has emerged, with Iranian airspace also off limits following air strikes by American and Israeli forces.
At face value, this huge area of airspace without any commercial flights traversing it serves as an interesting and obvious indicator of the ongoing conflict in the region. However, the inability of airlines to overfly Iran has more operational permutations than meets the eye, with airlines having to take considerable detours to the north or south of the affected area that add time, cost, and complexity to journeys. Let's examine the situation...
