Thousands of flights have been cancelled worldwide as the fallout from US-Israeli strikes on Iran continues to disrupt air travel, leaving hundreds of thousands of passengers stranded. Gulf airports and airlines have suspended normal operations until at least 10:00 GMT on Tuesday, though a limited number of special services were due to depart from the UAE on Monday evening.
Major Middle Eastern airports, including Dubai – the world’s busiest international hub – have been closed for a third consecutive day, marking the most acute aviation shock since the Covid pandemic. According to analysts Cirium, almost 1,700 flights to the Middle East had been cancelled by Monday morning, though the figure is likely an underestimate due to limited data from Iran and the UAE.
Emirates and Etihad Airways said flights to and from their hubs would not operate until late Tuesday morning, while Qatar Airways has suspended operations as long as Qatari airspace remains closed. However, Emirates and Etihad were poised to resume selected flights on Monday evening, offering hope that wider passenger travel could resume. The UAE’s aviation authority said it would allow “special flights” across the country’s airports to operate to allow stranded passengers to depart.
The disruption has spread beyond the Middle East, with Air India cancelling flights from Delhi, Mumbai and Amritsar to major cities in Europe and North America. EasyJet cancelled return services between Paphos and Larnaca and the UK after a drone hit the RAF base in Akrotiri, Cyprus. British Airways also cancelled Monday’s Larnaca service and has told passengers due to fly to the Gulf, Israel or Jordan until 15 March that they can delay travel free of charge.
Airline and travel share prices fell sharply, with Tui dropping 9% and British Airways owner IAG down 5%. Meanwhile, private jet brokers reported a surge in demand, with flights from Riyadh to Europe costing up to $350,000 (£260,000). Analysts noted that the prolonged closure of all three big Gulf transit hubs was unprecedented.
