Hundreds of thousands of passengers remain stranded as key air hubs in the Middle East remain closed following US-Israeli strikes on Iran. Thousands of flights were cancelled on Monday, with the disruption expected to persist for weeks.
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 hubs including Dubai, the world's busiest international airport, have been closed for a third consecutive day, marking the most severe aviation shock since the Covid pandemic.
According to analysts Cirium, almost 1,700 flights to the Middle East had been cancelled by early Monday, though the figure is likely an undercount due to limited data from Iran and the UAE. Emirates and Etihad Airways have suspended flights until late Tuesday morning, while Qatar Airways has halted operations as long as Qatari airspace remains closed. Some carriers are offering refunds or free changes for upcoming travel.
The impact has spread globally, with passengers stranded from Bali to Frankfurt. Air India cancelled flights from Delhi, Mumbai and Amritsar to major European and North American cities. EasyJet cancelled return services between Cyprus and the UK after a drone hit an RAF base, while British Airways cancelled its Monday Larnaca service.
Airline and travel shares fell sharply, with Tui dropping 9% and British Airways owner IAG down 5%. Private jet charters from Saudi Arabia to Europe have surged, with costs reaching up to $350,000 (£260,000). The prolonged closure of all three major Gulf transit hubs is unprecedented, analysts said.
