Airlines in the UAE and across the Middle East suspended and rerouted flights after the start of the US-Israeli war with Iran, prompting several countries to restrict or 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 airlines are responding.
Airlines in the Gulf
Qatar Airways
Regular Qatar Airways flights remain suspended owing to the closure of the country's airspace. The airline said services will resume once authorities say it is safe to do so.
But the airline plans to operate limited flights in the coming days to assist travellers affected by the disruption. In addition, it has organised point-to-point flights from Doha to support passengers whose journeys were interrupted.
People have been urged to avoid travelling to the airport unless they hold a valid ticket. Travellers seeking to make a booking for one of the limited flights should do so through the Qatar Airways website or mobile app, or by contacting a travel agent.
Passengers with bookings between February 28 and March 28 may request a refund or change their travel date, with complimentary rebookings permitted up to April 30 on flights operated by the airline.
Oman Air
Most Oman Air flights continue to operate as normal, although some routes have been affected by regional airspace closures.
The airline said flights to and from Amman, Dubai, Bahrain, Doha, Dammam, Kuwait, Copenhagen, Baghdad and Khasab are cancelled until March 22.
Passengers can manage their bookings through the Oman Air website or mobile app. The airline apologised for the disruption.
SalamAir
Low-cost Omani carrier SalamAir said several of its flights have been affected by regional airspace closures.
Flights to and from Kuwait City, 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 has increased daily flights between Muscat and Fujairah until March 20 owing to increased travel demand. The services depart Muscat at 8.30am and 3.35pm, with return flights from Fujairah at 9.55am and 5pm.
SalamAir also said flights to and from Duqm resumed on March 12, and additional services to Cairo will operate between March 16 and March 27.
The airline added that it is to provide ticket sales services at several land border crossings between the UAE and Oman, in partnership with travel platform Godoba. SalamAir tickets can be purchased at the Khatm Al Shakla, Hafeet, Al Wajajah and Khatmat Malaha border crossings.
Passengers are advised to check their flight status on the airline’s website or mobile app, as schedules may change at short notice.
Gulf Air
Bahrain’s national carrier Gulf Air has suspended its operations after the country closed its airspace.
The airline said it would temporarily operated limited commercial flights from King Fahd International Airport in Dammam to help travellers continue their journeys. Trips can be booked to destinations including London, Mumbai and Bangkok through the airline’s website or mobile app for travel on March 15 and 16, with additional dates expected to be announced.
The airline said it will resume normal operations once it is deemed safe to do so.
Gulf Air has also introduced flexible booking options for affected passengers. Those with tickets for travel dates up to March 31 may make new bookings free of charge on Gulf Air-operated flights until June 15.
Passengers scheduled to travel until March 21 may request a refund without fees. The airline said the next update on its operations is expected at 11am Bahrain time on March 16.
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 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 on March 12 (3.59am GST on March 13), although some exceptional flights may operate.
Meanwhile, cancellations of flights to and from Moscow and Peshawar remain in place until March 15.
Saudia said its operational schedule remains under constant review and further updates will be announced as they become available.
Flynas
Saudi Arabia’s low-cost airline has extended the suspension of flights to and from Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, 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 12.59am GST on March 16 (11.59pm Saudi Arabia time on March 15).
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 Airways
All commercial flights at Kuwait International Airport remain suspended after a drone strike on Terminal 1.
However, the airline has announced special flights to help citizens return home. It said some services will operate to nearby airports in the region, allowing travellers to continue their journey to Kuwait by land through Saudi Arabia.
Flights were operated from Istanbul to Dammam on March 10, from Cairo to Dammam on March 11 and from Paris to Dammam on March 13, which the airline described as the final flight for passengers stranded in Europe.
International airlines
Virgin Atlantic
Virgin Atlantic has suspended its Dubai service for the remainder of the winter season until March 28. Flights to Riyadh are also paused until March 25.
The airline said it is working to support affected passengers, including arranging alternative travel options where possible.
British Airways
British Airways has temporarily reduced its flying schedule in the Middle East.
The airline has cancelled flights to and from Amman, Bahrain, Doha, Dubai and Tel Aviv until later this month, while services to and from Abu Dhabi are suspended until later this year.
British Airways is continuing to operate repatriation flights from Muscat to London Heathrow for customers with existing bookings who are currently in Oman or the UAE. Limited seats are available.
Air India
Flights operated by Air India and Air India Express between India and destinations in the Middle East are also affected by the crisis.
With airspace over Saudi Arabia and Oman open, both airlines continue to operate scheduled services to and from Jeddah and Muscat.
The two carriers are operating 14 flights to and from Jeddah, while Air India Express is running 14 flights to and from the Omani capital. These services connect Muscat with Indian cities including New Delhi, Mumbai, Kochi, Kozhikode, Mangaluru, Kannur, Thiruvananthapuram and Tiruchirappalli.
However, following instructions from UAE airport authorities, the airlines said they have further curtailed ad hoc operations on March 15. All Air India Express flights to and from Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah scheduled for that day have been cancelled. Flights for March 16 are still scheduled.
Both airlines will instead operate one round-trip flight on the Delhi–Dubai route, subject to slot availability and prevailing operating conditions.
The carriers have also been operating additional non-scheduled flights to help travellers return to India. Passengers affected by cancellations may rebook their travel at no additional charge or request a full refund.
IndiGo
IndiGo is gradually restoring flight operations. The airline said it will carry out flights to eight destinations in the region – Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah, as well as Muscat in Oman and Jeddah and Madinah in Saudi Arabia. The carrier also restarted services to Europe on March 8.
However, IndiGo said flight operations have been further restricted in Dubai, leading to additional changes to flight schedules.
The airline said that, given the nature of the situation, schedules may change at short notice. Passengers travelling to or from Dubai are advised to check the status of their flights on the airline’s website before heading to the airport, with notifications also being sent directly to passengers.
Turkish Airlines
Turkish Airlines said passengers travelling to or from Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia (Riyadh and Dammam), 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
The Dutch airline has adjusted its schedule in the region, but is currently avoiding the airspace over Iran, Iraq and Israel, as well as several countries in the Gulf region.
The airline has suspended flights to and from Dubai until (and including) March 28, and has suspended the remainder of its winter season flights to and from Tel Aviv.
The airline is offering rebooking and refund options for passengers with tickets to Dubai, Riyadh and Dammam until March 28, if originally issued on or before March 2.
Lufthansa
Lufthansa Group airlines have suspended flights to several destinations in the region.
Flights to and from Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Dammam are suspended until March 15, as are services to Amman and Erbil. Flights to Beirut are suspended until March 28, while services to Tel Aviv are suspended until April 2. Flights to Tehran remain cancelled until April 30.
Scheduled flights to Riyadh and Jeddah are continuing to operate.
Passengers whose flights have been cancelled may request a full refund or rebook to a later Lufthansa Group-operated flight.
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.
Royal Jordanian
Royal Jordanian passengers affected by cancellations due to the regional situation are being 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.
Air France
Air France flights departing from Dubai and Riyadh remain suspended until March 13. The airline’s services to and from Tel Aviv and Beirut are suspended until March 13.
Air France said affected passengers will be contacted directly and may postpone or cancel their trips free of charge.
The airline added that the resumption of operations will remain subject to a continuing assessment.
Swiss
Swiss has suspended several flights in the region.
As part of Lufthansa Group measures, flights to and from Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Dammam are suspended until March 15, while services to Amman and Erbil are suspended until March 15. Flights to to Beirut are suspended until March 28, while services Tel Aviv are suspended until April 2. Flights to Tehran remain suspended until April 30.
Passengers whose flights have been cancelled may request a full refund or rebook to a later Lufthansa Group-operated flight.
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.
Finnair has also arranged an additional flight from Muscat to Helsinki on March 10 for passengers whose Dubai to Helsinki service was cancelled between February 28 and March 9. The airline said eligible customers were contacted directly and seats were prioritised for vulnerable passengers and those with the earliest return dates.
The flight will operate subject to the regional airspace being deemed safe, and passengers will be transported by bus from the UAE to Muscat before departure.
Finnair has also temporarily stopped flying through the airspace over Iraq, Iran, Syria and Israel.
Cathay Pacific
Hong Kong carrier Cathay Pacific has suspended flights to and from Dubai until March 31. Passengers who have not already received a notification from the airline are advised to check the status of their booking on the airline’s website.
A ticket waiver policy has been introduced for those affected by the disruption. Travellers booked to fly between Hong Kong and Dubai up to April 30 may rebook, reroute or request a refund without the usual fees.
Customers who purchased tickets through travel agents or third-party websites are advised to contact them directly to arrange alternative travel or refunds, while those who booked through Cathay Pacific channels can contact the airline’s customer care team.
