Just hours after a security review on 5 March 2026, Air France announced that its temporary suspension of services to Dubai and Riyadh will run at least one more day, and flights to Tel Aviv and Beirut will remain grounded until 10–11 March. The carrier had originally planned to resume operations on 6 March but cited “volatile airspace conditions” following US-Israeli strikes on Iran the previous week. The move prolongs uncertainty for French multinationals with personnel in the Gulf and Levant. Corporate security firms are advising travellers to keep flexible tickets and to secure contingency routings via Doha or Muscat, which remain operational. Cargo shippers are also affected: automotive components destined for PSA’s Riyadh assembly line are now being re-routed through Jeddah by road, adding 48 hours to delivery windows. Air France said affected passengers may rebook or claim a voucher valid for one year. The airline continues to operate 16 weekly flights to Dubai in its winter schedule and hopes to restore the service “as quickly as safety permits.” France’s DGAC (civil-aviation authority) is monitoring the situation and may issue updated NOTAMs that could affect other carriers at short notice. Companies should review travel-risk insurance clauses; most policies exclude conflict-zone disruptions unless an additional rider is purchased. Travel managers are urged to maintain traveller-tracking protocols to comply with France’s employer duty-of-care standards.
Source: Reuters corporate brief
