Kuala Lumpur: Transport Minister Anthony Loke confirmed that several Malaysian flights to the Middle East have been cancelled following the airstrikes on the United States military base in Qatar early today. He said a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) had been issued due to concerns over the safety of aircraft flying over the region during the airstrikes.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the NOTAM was issued because of the war conflict, which posed a risk to air travel. Anthony Loke mentioned that no airline can fly through the affected airspace as it is currently closed. He informed during a press conference that all airlines have been instructed to take mitigation measures to ensure flight safety and passenger wellbeing are not jeopardised.

Several Arab countries responded by temporarily closing their airspace late Monday as a precautionary measure amid heightened tensions. However, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates have since reopened their airspace and resumed normal flight operations.

A check by Bernama at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) found that flight departures to the Middle East have resumed. As of 4 pm today, no new cancellations were reported, although some flights experienced delays, including Qatar Airways flight QR845 to Doha, initially scheduled for 8.20 pm. Earlier, Malaysia Airlines cancelled two flights to Doha – MH164 and MH160R – believed to be due to the temporary airspace closure over the region.