Flights Cancelled and Chaos as Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha Hubs Disrupted by Strikes
Airlines continue to cancel and divert services after US and Israeli strikes on Iran, leaving hundreds of thousands of travellers stranded or rerouted and prompting travel warnings and shelter-in-place guidance. The disruption has forced shutdowns at major transit hubs, with doha among the affected gateways that link Europe, Africa and the west to Asia.
Scope of airspace closures and airport shutdowns
Countries across the region closed airspace, and three key airports that connect Europe, Africa and the west to Asia halted operations. Airspaces over Iran, Israel, Iraq, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Syria and the United Arab Emirates remain closed on Sunday morning, while Saudi Arabia has a partial closure. Jordanian and Lebanese airspace remain open but with limited flight activity. There were also no flights over the United Arab Emirates after the government announced a temporary and partial closure of its airspace.
Doha airport closure and regional hub impact
Closure of airports in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha has led to cancellation of thousands of flights by major Middle Eastern airlines and widespread disruption of long-haul travel. Hundreds of thousands of travellers were stranded or diverted to other airports after Israel, Qatar, Syria, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait and Bahrain closed their airspace. The effects have rippled into Europe–Asia routings, with tracking showing flights between Europe and Asia travelling Saudi Arabia or the Caucasus to avoid closed or restricted airspace.
Major airlines suspensions and timetable notes
Airlines have taken a range of measures: some carriers have grounded flights to the region, and others have suspended particular routes. One carrier suspended all operations in and out of Dubai until 15: 00 local time (13: 00 GMT) on Sunday because of regional airspace closures; another notice said all operations to and from Dubai were suspended until 3pm UAE time on Monday. A carrier serving Abu Dhabi announced flights to and from that city were suspended until 2am UAE time on Monday. A Gulf carrier has said it will resume operations only when the national civil aviation authority declares Qatari airspace safe and pledged a further update by 9am Doha time on Monday.
European operators have also adjusted schedules. One carrier cancelled services to Tel Aviv and Bahrain until Wednesday and warned that services between Heathrow and Abu Dhabi, Amman, Bahrain, Doha, Dubai or Tel Aviv could be affected for several days. Another has suspended flights to and from Israel, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Amman up until and including next Saturday. A long-haul carrier suspended services between Heathrow and Riyadh on Sunday after earlier cancelling flights from Heathrow to Dubai on Saturday and Sunday, and warned that flights to India, Saudi Arabia and the Maldives may take longer due to rerouting.
Passenger volumes, cancellations and on-the-ground incidents
Three major airlines that operate at the closed hubs typically handle about 90, 000 passengers a day passing through those airports and even more travellers headed to destinations in the Middle East, an aviation analytics firm. Dubai is described as the world’s busiest airport for international flights. On Sunday, more than 3, 400 flights were cancelled across seven main airports in the Middle East, while one headline count cited more than 1, 000 cancellations by major Middle Eastern carriers. Of about 4, 218 flights scheduled to land in Middle Eastern countries on Saturday, 966 (23%) were cancelled, with the figure rising above 1, 800 if outbound flights are included, the analytics company said.
Major international airports in the region also sustained damage. Dubai’s international airport and its landmark Burj Al Arab hotel sustained damage and four people were injured in an incident at Dubai International. At Dubai International, an airport spokesman said four members of staff were injured in an incident on Saturday. An airport authority in Abu Dhabi said a separate incident at Zayed International Airport resulted in one death and seven injuries; that post on a social media platform was later deleted.
Travel chaos: passenger experiences and official guidance
Stranded travellers described long waits and cancelled connections. One traveller, Sarah Short, was due to return from a holiday in Dubai to Heathrow and said the flight taxied before being held on the tarmac for more than three hours. Another couple, Emma Belcher and her husband Vic, were returning from the Maldives Dubai when a connecting flight was cancelled.
Authorities and travel hubs have urged caution. Heathrow has urged travellers to check with their airline before setting out. The UK Foreign Office has urged British nationals to shelter in place. An airline industry analyst warned travellers to prepare for delays or cancellations for the next few days as the attacks evolve and hopefully end.
Wider disruption continues while notams extend closures: a flight-tracking service said a notice to airmen had extended closure of Iranian airspace until at least 8. 30am UK time on Tuesday. The situation remains fluid and travel schedules are subject to change.
