Hundreds of thousands of passengers remain stranded as key air hubs in the Middle East remain closed following US-Israeli strikes on Iran. Thousands more flights were cancelled on Monday, with the disruption now described as the worst travel chaos since the Covid pandemic.
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.
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, Etihad and Qatar Airways have all suspended operations, with Emirates and Etihad poised to resume selected flights on Monday evening.
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 the RAF base at Akrotiri, while British Airways cancelled its Monday Larnaca service.
Shares in travel companies fell sharply, with Tui dropping 9% and British Airways owner IAG down 5%. Some carriers are offering refunds or free changes for upcoming travel. Private jet brokers reported a surge in demand, with flights from Riyadh to Europe costing up to $350,000.
Analysts noted that while the region has experienced travel disruption before, the prolonged closure of all three major Gulf transit hubs is unprecedented. Crew and pilots are now scattered worldwide, complicating the resumption of flights once airspace reopens.
