KUALA LUMPUR – A Malaysia Airlines flight from Kuala Lumpur to Doha was forced to turn back mid-air last night as tensions escalated in the Middle East, prompting the temporary closure of key Gulf airspace.
The affected flight, MH160, departed Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) at 9.03pm on June 23 (MYT) but returned to base before reaching Qatari airspace. No public statement has been issued by the airline on the incident.
Hours later, the early morning MH164 flight to Doha scheduled for 2.55am today, June 24, was cancelled.
Checks by Scoop on flight schedule data showed that two earlier Malaysia Airlines services to Doha on June 23 had landed safely, with one arriving about an hour late.
Despite the brief disruption, operations appear to be stabilising. The next scheduled MH160 flight to Doha, set for 9pm tonight, remains listed as “on time”. As of press time, all four upcoming Malaysia Airlines flights to Doha between June 25 and June 28 are also showing as “on time”.
The airspace in Qatar and parts of the Gulf was closed earlier today in response to Iranian missile launches targeting a US base near Doha. Although the missiles were reportedly intercepted, flights were suspended as a precaution.
Qatari authorities later reopened the airspace, but regulators and operators continue to monitor the situation closely amid uncertainty over further developments.
Scoop has reached out to Malaysia Airlines for comments on the disruptions and whether contingency protocols were activated.
Meanwhile, AirAsia X, which operates services to Jeddah and Madinah four to five times weekly, confirmed that it has not experienced any disruptions.
The airline said in a statement it is “closely monitoring developments in the Middle East and will continue to follow all necessary safety procedures, as the safety of our guests and crew remains our utmost priority.”
While Malaysian carriers continue to operate without major incidents, several regional and international airlines took more cautious approaches over the weekend.
Singapore Airlines cancelled last night’s flights to Dubai and extended the suspension through June 25, citing the “fluid” security situation. Other airlines that temporarily suspended services include Air France-KLM (Dubai and Riyadh), Finnair (Doha), and Kazakhstan’s Air Astana (Dubai).
Some airlines have since resumed flights. Tracking data from Flightradar24 showed British Airways flights to both Dubai and Doha back on schedule from tomorrow, after yesterday’s cancellations.
Although the immediate threat appears to have subsided with the reopening of Qatari and other regional airspace, aviation authorities and airlines remain on alert. According to reports, industry analysts have warned of the possibility of further disruptions depending on how the regional tensions unfold in the coming days. – June 24, 2025