Airlines in the UAE and across the Middle East suspended and rerouted flights after the US and Israel began strikes on Iran, prompting several countries to restrict or completely close their airspace.
The escalating situation has led to cancellations, with airlines saying safety concerns and regulatory directives are behind the decision as they monitor developments.
This is how regional airlines are currently responding.
Carriers in the Gulf
Qatar Airways
Qatar Airways flight operations remain temporarily suspended due to the closure of Qatari airspace. The airline said 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 confirming a limited operating corridor, Qatar Airways said it intends to operate a number of flights arriving at Hamad International Airport on March 9 from Amsterdam, Berlin, Frankfurt, London Heathrow, Zurich and Muscat.
The airline said these flights are only for passengers whose final destination is Doha and do not signal a full resumption of scheduled commercial operations.
Qatar Airways also operated repatriation flights from Doha on March 8 to Amsterdam, Berlin, Frankfurt, London Heathrow and Zurich, prioritising stranded travellers, including families, elderly passengers and those with urgent medical or compassionate needs.
Passengers are advised not to travel to the airport unless they hold a valid confirmed ticket or have received official notification from the airline. Qatar Airways said affected travellers will be contacted directly with their flight details and travel 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.
The airline said all flights to and from Amman, Dubai, Bahrain, Doha, Dammam, Kuwait, Copenhagen, Baghdad and Khasab will be cancelled from March 9 to March 15.
Oman Air said additional flights have been added to help accommodate affected passengers and travellers are advised to check the airline’s website for the latest schedule updates.
Passengers can book available flights through the Oman Air website or mobile app. The airline said additional services may be added and travellers are advised to check schedules regularly for updates.
SalamAir
Oman’s low-cost carrier SalamAir said several of its flights have been affected 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.
The airline said it continues to monitor the situation closely and will provide further updates as conditions evolve across the region.
Gulf Air
The national carrier of Bahrain has suspended its operations due to the closure of Bahraini airspace. An update is expected at 11am Bahrain time on March 8 (12pm GST).
Bahrain’s national carrier said it 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.
The airline said flights between Riyadh and Dubai and between 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 11.59pm GMT (3.59am GST) on March 9 due to the ongoing situation in the region.
Meanwhile, cancellations of flights to and from Moscow and Peshawar have been extended until March 15.
Saudia said it is evaluating the gradual resumption of services and will announce further updates once operational decisions are finalised.
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 11.59pm Saudi Arabia time on March 9 (12.59am GST on March 10).
Passengers are advised to check the status of their flights on the airline’s website before heading to the airport. Flynas said it is continuing to monitor developments in co-ordination with the relevant authorities and will provide updates through its official channels.
Kuwait Airlines
All inbound and outbound commercial flights at Kuwait International Airport are currently suspended. The airport suffered damage after a drone strike targeted Terminal 1.
However, Kuwait Airways announced on March 4 that it would be operating some flights exclusively for Kuwaiti nationals wishing to return to Kuwait via Saudi Arabia by land from the announced destinations: London Heathrow, Manchester, Munich, Barcelona, Milan, Paris, Istanbul, Sabiha, Cairo, Manila and Amman.
International carriers
Virgin Atlantic
Virgin Atlantic is continuing to monitor the situation in the Middle East following recent airspace and airport closures in the region.
The airline cancelled several services between London Heathrow and Dubai, including VS400 from London to Dubai on March 6 and 7, and VS401 from Dubai to London on March 7 and 8. 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 temporary airport and airspace closures in Dubai. Although the airport later reopened, the airline said the criteria required for it to operate flights into the region were not sufficiently met.
Some flights are continuing to operate on adjusted routes, which may result in slightly longer flight times. The airline said it will continue to monitor developments and make further changes if required to ensure the safety of passengers and crew.
British Airways
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 2.30am 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
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.
Air India is maintaining flights between Delhi and Mumbai and Jeddah, while Air India Express is operating services linking Muscat with several Indian cities, including Delhi, Kochi, Kozhikode, Mangaluru, Mumbai and Kannur, as well as routes between Jeddah and Bengaluru, Kozhikode and Mangaluru.
Both airlines are also operating additional non-scheduled flights on March 8 to assist stranded travellers. Air India is running extra services between Delhi and Mumbai and Dubai, while Air India Express is operating 30 additional flights between India and UAE cities including Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Ras Al Khaimah and Sharjah.
However, scheduled Air India Express flights to and from Bahrain, Dammam, Doha, Kuwait and Riyadh remain cancelled until March 13, while Air India’s services to and from Dammam, Doha and Riyadh are suspended until March 10.
Passengers affected by disruptions may rebook their travel at no additional charge or request a full refund, the airline said. Travellers are advised to check their flight status before heading to the airport.
IndiGo
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.
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
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
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
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
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 Airlines
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
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
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
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 on to 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
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
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.
