- Jordan’s aviation commission closed airspace nightly starting March 2nd due to escalating regional tensions and security risks.
- The nightly restrictions run from 6 p.m. to 9 a.m., forcing all flights into a narrow window.
- Over 58,000 travelers face widespread delays and cancellations across Queen Alia International Airport and regional hubs.
(AMMAN, JORDAN) — Jordan’s Civil Aviation Regulatory Commission announced a partial, temporary closure of Jordanian airspace each night starting March 2, 2026, barring all inbound, outbound and transit flights from 6 p.m. local time until 9 a.m. the following day.
CARC, led by Chief Commissioner Daifallah Alfarajat, said the restriction takes effect Monday evening and will remain in place until further notice, covering scheduled flights and overflights during the blocked hours.
The nightly shutdown forces airlines to move departures and arrivals into a daily 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. local operating window, raising the likelihood of delays, cancellations and missed connections for passengers whose itineraries touch the restricted period.
At Queen Alia International Airport in Amman, travelers with onward flights face a higher risk of misconnection when inbound delays push them toward the 6 p.m. cut-off, or when regional disruptions make short transfers unworkable.
Jordan introduced the measure as regional tensions escalated, including US-Israeli strikes on Iran starting February 28 and Iran’s retaliatory attacks, with the regulator citing civil aviation safety and risk assessments aligned with international standards.
The closure also intersects with a fast-changing regional route map, as airspace restrictions and reopening decisions elsewhere force carriers to reroute around closed corridors and re-time rotations across multiple airports.
CARC set the daily closure window at 6 p.m. local time (1500 GMT/1600 GMT per some reports) to 9 a.m. the following day (0600 GMT), leaving airlines to concentrate traffic into fewer hours and to protect aircraft and crews from knock-on delays.
Transit through Amman remains possible during open hours, but the practical difference between “open” and “closed” can hinge on minutes when incoming flights run late, gates change, or aircraft arrive out of position.
Royal Jordanian warned that tight connections can fail because of regional ripple effects, and disruption at Queen Alia has already stranded hundreds as delayed aircraft and cancellations cascaded through banked schedules.
A recent snapshot at the airport showed 55 flights delayed and 54 canceled, a scale of disruption that can quickly overwhelm connection plans even for passengers who never intend to enter Jordan.
Long-haul flights can still arrive or depart if scheduled outside the closure hours, but many passengers rely on short regional legs for onward travel, and those legs face added pressure when aircraft cannot depart late into the evening.
Royal Jordanian halted multiple regional routes and adjusted schedules around the nightly restriction, as carriers try to match available airspace and airport operating hours with crew duty limits and aircraft availability.
Other airlines including Emirates, Qatar Airways, Ryanair and British Airways have also been affected, with delays and customer re-accommodation, and refunds offered, as travelers track shifting departure times and rebookings across carrier apps and websites.
The disruptions also reach beyond 🇯🇴 Jordan because aircraft used on Gulf or Levant rotations often continue to another city the same day, and any late arrival into Amman can break the next leg when the 6 p.m. shutdown hits.
Inside Queen Alia International Airport, reduced flight volume has not eliminated crowding, because processing pressure concentrates around retimed departures, rebooked passengers and gate changes.
QAIA handled 120 flights on March 1, described as 60% normal volume, and travelers have been told to expect crowds, rebooking queues and limited assistance capacity during peak disruption periods.
Airline counters and call centers can also jam as passengers try to preserve onward itineraries that depend on a narrow daylight operating window, particularly when a single cancellation removes multiple connection options.
CARC and airport channels have directed travelers to verify their flight status and coordinate directly with airlines for rebooking, refunds or waivers, with many waiving change fees as schedules shift earlier or later to avoid the restricted hours.
The guidance also emphasizes that flights are not permitted during the nightly closure window, meaning travelers who land before 6 p.m. can still face overnight holds if their onward departure falls into the shutdown.
U.S. Embassy Jordan issued safety messaging advising sheltering if threats enter airspace, while Jordanian authorities and airport communications have urged passengers to monitor updates from CARC, Petra and QAIA as the situation evolves.
Across the region, airspace constraints have shifted quickly, including Iraq’s 48-hour full closure and partial reopenings elsewhere like Dubai, changes that can lengthen routings and complicate airline recovery planning.
More than 58,000 people have been stranded regionally, and airlines have rerouted some trips via hubs such as Istanbul and Athens, inflating costs and stretching itineraries as carriers detour around disrupted corridors.
