Regional Airlines Respond to Airspace Restrictions
The recent escalation of tensions between the US and Israel with Iran has led to significant disruptions in air travel across the Middle East, including the UAE. Several countries have restricted or completely closed their airspace, prompting airlines to suspend and reroute flights. The situation has resulted in flight cancellations as airlines prioritize safety and adhere to regulatory directives.
Qatar Airways
Qatar Airways has temporarily suspended its flight operations due to the closure of Qatari airspace. The airline stated that services will resume once the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority announces the safe reopening of the airspace, with a further update expected on March 9. Following temporary authorisation, the airline plans to operate a number of flights arriving at Hamad International Airport from Amsterdam, Berlin, Frankfurt, London Heathrow, Zurich, and Muscat on March 9. These flights are only for passengers whose final destination is Doha and do not signal a full resumption of scheduled commercial operations. Additionally, repatriation flights were operated from Doha on March 8 to several European cities, prioritizing stranded travellers, including families, elderly passengers, and those with urgent medical or compassionate needs. Affected passengers are advised to wait for direct communication from the airline regarding their flight details and arrangements.
Oman Air
Oman Air has cancelled flights to several regional and international destinations due to ongoing airspace closures in parts of the Middle East. Flights to and from Amman, Dubai, Bahrain, Doha, Dammam, Kuwait, Copenhagen, Baghdad, and Khasab are suspended from March 9 to March 15. The airline has added additional flights to accommodate affected passengers, and travellers are encouraged to check the airline’s website for the latest schedule updates. Passengers can book available flights through the Oman Air website or mobile app. Additional services may be added, and regular checks of schedules are recommended.
SalamAir
Oman’s low-cost carrier SalamAir has been impacted by regional airspace closures linked to ongoing developments in the Middle East. Flights to and from Kuwait, Sharjah, Doha, and Dammam are suspended until March 20, while services to and from Iraq, Lebanon, and Iran are suspended until March 28. To support travel during the disruption, the airline has added daily flights between Muscat and Fujairah, operating until March 20. Departures from Muscat are at 8:30 am and 3:35 pm, with return flights from Fujairah at 9:55 am and 5 pm. The airline continues to monitor the situation closely and will provide further updates as conditions evolve.
Gulf Air
Gulf Air, the national carrier of Bahrain, has suspended its operations due to the closure of Bahraini airspace. An update is expected at 11 am Bahrain time on March 10 (12 pm GST). The airline is closely monitoring official directives and will resume services once it is deemed safe to do so.
Saudia
Saudia has partially resumed flight operations to and from Dubai, operating a limited number of services from March 7. Flights between Riyadh and Dubai and Jeddah and Dubai are currently operating on a reduced schedule, with additional services expected to be restored gradually. However, Saudia has extended the suspension of flights to and from Amman, Kuwait, Abu Dhabi, Doha, and Bahrain until 11:59 pm GMT on March 10 (3:59 am GST on March 11) due to the ongoing situation in the region. Cancellations of flights to and from Moscow and Peshawar have also been extended until March 15. The airline continues to review its operational schedule and will announce further updates as they become available.
Flynas
Saudi Arabia’s low-cost airline flynas has extended the suspension of flights to and from the United Arab Emirates, Doha, Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, and Syria due to the continued closure of airspace in parts of the region. The suspension will remain in effect until 12:59 am GST on March 10 (11:59 pm Saudi Arabia time on March 9). Passengers are advised to check the status of their flights on the airline’s website before heading to the airport. Flynas continues to monitor developments in coordination with relevant authorities and will provide updates through its official channels.
Kuwait Airways
All inbound and outbound commercial flights at Kuwait International Airport remain suspended after the airport was damaged in a drone strike targeting Terminal 1. Kuwait Airways has announced special flights to help citizens return home. Some services will operate to nearby airports in the region, allowing travellers to continue their journey to Kuwait by land through Saudi Arabia. One of the latest announced flights is KU542D from Cairo to Dammam on March 11, departing at 11 am Cairo time and arriving at 3 pm local time. Passengers must contact Kuwait Airways directly to secure seats, and residents travelling on these flights must hold a Saudi transit visa.
International Carriers
Virgin Atlantic has cancelled several services between London Heathrow and Dubai, including VS400 from London to Dubai on March 6, 7, and 8, and VS401 from Dubai to London on March 7, 8, and 9. Affected passengers are being contacted directly with information about their travel arrangements. Virgin Atlantic said its security and operations teams conducted extensive safety and operational assessments after airport and airspace closures in Dubai and Riyadh. As a result, the airline has suspended its Dubai service for the remainder of the winter season, which had originally been scheduled to run until March 28. Flights to Riyadh have also been paused for the next two weeks while the airline continues to assess the situation.
British Airways remains unable to operate flights from Abu Dhabi, Amman, Bahrain, Doha, Dubai, and Tel Aviv. The airline has scheduled additional flights from Muscat to London Heathrow departing at 2:30 am local time on March 9, 10, 11, and 12 for customers with existing bookings who are currently in Oman or the UAE. Passengers wishing to travel on these services are advised to contact the airline directly. British Airways said its teams will also contact affected customers by email and travellers should not go to the airport unless they have a confirmed booking.
Air India’s flights between India and parts of the Middle East remain affected by airspace restrictions across the region. With airspace over Saudi Arabia and Oman remaining open, Air India and Air India Express continue to operate scheduled services to and from Jeddah and Muscat. On March 9, the two airlines will operate a total of 10 flights to and from Jeddah, while Air India Express will run 14 flights to and from Muscat, connecting the Omani capital with several Indian cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Kochi, Kannur, Thiruvananthapuram, and Tiruchirappalli. Both airlines are also operating additional non-scheduled flights on March 9 to help stranded travellers return to India. Air India will run extra services between Delhi and Mumbai and Dubai, while Air India Express will operate additional flights between India and Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Ras Al Khaimah, and Sharjah. However, the Air India group said scheduled services to other West Asian destinations remain cancelled until March 13.
IndiGo is continuing to gradually restore flight operations as the situation in the Middle East evolves. The airline said it will continue operating flights to eight destinations in the region – Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Fujairah, and Ras Al Khaimah in the UAE, as well as Muscat in Oman and Jeddah and Madinah in Saudi Arabia – while also restarting services to Europe from March 8. IndiGo says that given the dynamic nature of the situation, flight schedules may change at short notice and passengers are advised to check the status of their flights before travelling to the airport. The airline said it will continue to provide updates through its official channels as operations are progressively restored.
Turkish Airlines said passengers travelling to or from Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia (Dammam and Riyadh), Syria, and the UAE until March 31 may make changes to their bookings free of charge. The policy applies to tickets issued on or before February 28, provided passengers take action by May 10. Unused tickets can be refunded free of charge, while partially used tickets will be refunded for any unused flight segments. Passengers may also extend the validity of their tickets until May 10, without additional fees or penalties.
KLM said it is currently avoiding the airspace over Iran, Iraq, and Israel, as well as several countries in the Gulf region, meaning flights to, from, or via destinations in the region have been cancelled or adjusted. The airline has suspended the remainder of its winter season flights to and from Tel Aviv. Flights to and from Dammam, Dubai, and Riyadh are suspended up to and including March 10. Passengers affected by the changes are being offered rebooking or refund options.
Lufthansa Group airlines have suspended flights to several destinations. Flights to and from Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Dammam are suspended until March 10, while services to Amman and Erbil are suspended until March 15. Flights to Tel Aviv are suspended until March 22, and to Beirut until March 28. Services to Tehran remain suspended until April 30. The airline also resumed flights to and from Larnaca in Cyprus on March 7. Passengers whose flights have been cancelled may request a full refund or rebook onto a later Lufthansa Group-operated flight. Travellers are advised to check their flight status before heading to the airport.
American Airlines has issued a travel waiver for passengers flying to or through several destinations in the Middle East, including Abu Dhabi, Amman, Bahrain, Doha, Dubai, and Larnaca. Customers who purchased tickets by February 27 and were scheduled to travel between February 28 and March 15 can change their flights without a change fee, provided they travel by March 29 and retain the same origin and destination. Passengers can also cancel their trip and request a refund.
United has cancelled flights between the US, Tel Aviv, and Dubai until and including March 31. “We’re continuing to monitor the situation and are working closely with US and international aviation authorities as it evolves,” the airline said.
Royal Jordanian said passengers affected by cancellations due to the regional situation will be offered flexible travel options. Travellers can change their flights free of charge without paying a fare difference, request a reroute within the same Iata zone, or opt for a non-refundable voucher valid for one year. Passengers transiting through Amman may also be rerouted on other airlines, subject to availability, provided the first flight segment is operated by Royal Jordanian. The airline said flights will continue operating as long as Jordanian airspace remains open, and advised passengers to check their flight status before travelling.
Air France has cancelled its flights to and from Dubai and Riyadh until March 10, while its flights to and from Tel Aviv and Beirut remain suspended until March 11. The resumption of operations will remain subject to an assessment of the situation. The airline added that it “regrets this situation, [but] the safety of its customers and crew is its top priority.”
Swiss has suspended several flights in the region. As part of the Lufthansa Group measures, flights to and from Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Dammam are suspended until March 10, while services to Amman and Erbil are suspended until March 15. Flights to Tel Aviv are suspended until March 22, and to Beirut until March 28. Services to Tehran remain suspended until April 30. Flights to and from Larnaca in Cyprus resumed on March 7. Passengers whose flights have been cancelled may request a full refund or rebook onto a later Lufthansa Group-operated flight. Travellers are advised to check their flight status before heading to the airport, as schedules may change at short notice.
Finnair has cancelled flights to and from Doha and Dubai until March 29, with affected passengers being contacted directly by the airline. The airline said it may not always be possible to reroute travellers because of limited availability on alternative flights, in which case customers can get a refund. The airline has also temporarily stopped flying through the airspace over Iraq, Iran, Syria, and Israel. “We are monitoring the situation closely and will update any new information on this page,” said the airline on its website. “We are very sorry for the uncertainty and harm this situation may cause you, and we will do our best to minimise the impact on your journey.”
Cathay Pacific has temporarily suspended flights to and from Dubai and Riyadh up to and including March 14. Passengers affected by the cancellations who have not already received a notification from the airline are advised to check the status of their booking through the Manage Booking portal. A ticket waiver policy has been implemented for customers booked to travel between Hong Kong and Dubai or Riyadh up to March 14, allowing passengers to rebook, reroute, or request a refund without the usual fees.
