While 2026 is only one month in, airlines have already had to rework their networks to avoid conflicts that broke out in several regions of the world.

Over the weekend of Jan. 23 to 25, European airlines like KLM and Air France canceled flights to Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia after U.S. President Donald Trump said that an “armada” was headed toward Iran in response to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s crackdown on anti-government protests.

American Airlines has just announced that it will resume flights to Venezuela after Trump ordered the reopening of the country’s airspace to U.S. aircraft for the first time since 2019 and following the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro earlier in the month. The days immediately following this operation by U.S. forces led to the immediate cancelation of over 1,000 flights across the Caribbean from dozens of airlines.

Ethiopian Airlines into Tigray called off as clashes with rebel groups intensify

On Jan. 29, Ethiopian Airlines passengers reported receiving a text message saying that their flights between the East African’s capital of Addis Ababba and several cities in the Tigray region were canceled.

While neither the airline nor the Ethiopian government provided explanation for the sudden cancelation, the situation is almost certainly connected to the string of clashes that erupted between government forces and Tigrayan rebel groups trying to claim swaths of land. The security situation in the northern part of the country bordering Eritrea has remained volatile since the war between the two countries that broke out in 1998 five years after the latter gained independence.

Related: US government ups travel advisory for popular Caribbean destination

The latest breakout of violence began in 2020 between Ethiopian forces and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) group controlling the region. Some estimates put the total number of deaths due to both direct fighting and the humanitarian conditions that came as a result of it at over 600,000 people; while a ceasefire was reached in 2022 with the signing of the Pretoria agreement, recent weeks brought with them renewed clashes.

“Your flight ET0102 from ADD on 29 Jan 2026, at 08:10 AM has been cancelled due to unplanned circumstances,” the text message sent to passengers flying into Alula Aba Nega Airport (MQX) reportedly read. “Please contact Ethiopian or your agency for updates.”

Ethiopian Airlines is the East African country’s flag carrier.

“None of us know why flights were suspended today”: Airport worker

A ticketing agent for Ethiopian Airlines working at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport (ABB) told the Addis Standard that they were continuing to sell tickets without knowing whether flights would resume on the next day. The airline has also not provided information on whether those on the canceled flights will be rebooked or refunded.

“The system is working,” the Addis Ababba airport worker said on condition of anonymity. “We are giving services. We sell tickets scheduled from tomorrow onwards. We reschedule flights and provide other services but none of us know why flights were suspended today.”

Travel news:

  • Airline to launch unusual new flight to Cayman Islands from the U.S.
  • United Airlines CEO gives stark warning on Olympic Games
  • Unexpected country is most luxurious travel destination for 2026
  • US government issues sudden warning on Switzerland travel

Workers at MQX were reportedly instructed not to come in to work on Jan. 29 as fears that a wider conflict will once again break out mount.

Related: National airline abruptly cancels U.S. flights, refunds available