Flights Cancelled, Hubs Closed and Warnings Issued as Strikes Ripple Through Abu Dhabi Region

Airlines halted services and governments issued travel warnings after US and Israeli strikes on Iran and Iran’s retaliatory attacks forced closures at key hubs, leaving travellers stranded and sparking a wave of cancellations that has shut flights to and from abu dhabi and other Gulf airports.

Major hubs in the Gulf grind to a halt

Airspace closures led to the temporary shutdown of airports in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha, with Emirates suspending all operations in and out of Dubai and Etihad suspending flights out of Abu Dhabi. Emirates said its Dubai operations would be suspended until 15: 00 local time (13: 00 GMT) on Monday, while Etihad gave a suspension until 02: 00 local time. Qatar Airways said it would resume operations when the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority announced the safe reopening of Qatari airspace and that it would provide a further update by 9am Doha time on Monday.

How many flights and passengers were affected

More than 3, 400 flights were cancelled across seven main Middle Eastern airports on Sunday, and more than 1, 000 flights by Middle Eastern carriers were cancelled as key transit hubs closed. The three carriers that operate those airports — Emirates, Qatar Airways and Etihad — typically handle about 90, 000 passengers a day through those hubs, Cirium said. Flight-tracking services showed the region’s skies largely empty, with no flights over the UAE and virtual emptiness over Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Israel, Bahrain and Qatar.

Casualties, damage and missile interceptions

Reports of casualties and damage at airports differ across accounts. One report said one person was killed and 11 others injured at airports in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, with four of those injuries among staff at Dubai International. Another bulletin said three dead and 58 injured, and that the UAE had intercepted 165 missiles, 2 cruise missiles and 541 drones. Separate coverage noted Dubai International and the Burj Al Arab hotel sustained damage and that four people were injured there. Abu Dhabi Airports posted that an incident at Zayed international airport resulted in one death and seven injuries, then later deleted the post. Iran’s retaliatory strikes were described as targeting major international airports in the region.

Airlines, cancellations and passenger disruptions

British Airways cancelled services to Tel Aviv and Bahrain until Wednesday and warned services between Heathrow and Abu Dhabi, Amman, Bahrain, Doha, Dubai or Tel Aviv could be affected for several days. Virgin Atlantic suspended services between Heathrow and Riyadh on Sunday after earlier cancelling Heathrow–Dubai flights on Saturday and Sunday; it warned flights to India, Saudi Arabia and the Maldives may take longer because they are being rerouted. Long-haul routes were widely affected and a major European hub urged travellers to check with their airlines.

Stranded travellers and shelter warnings

Hundreds of thousands of travellers were stranded or diverted after multiple countries closed their airspace. A UK travel advisory warned British citizens against all but essential travel to Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates and advised those already in the region to shelter. One couple from London, Richard and Hannah, described being stuck in Bahrain after a drone attack on the airport disrupted their onward travel; they said they were seeking to return home given the risk of escalation.

Industry reaction and knock-on costs

Industry analysts warned travelers to expect delays and cancellations for several days. Flight trackers and industry data showed big immediate disruption: of roughly 4, 218 flights scheduled to land in Middle Eastern countries on Saturday, 966 (23%) were cancelled and cancellations rose above 1, 800 if outbound flights were included. FlightAware recorded more than 18, 000 global flight delays and more than 2, 350 cancellations worldwide as of 10: 30pm GMT on Saturday. Airlines crossing the Middle East must reroute many flights to the south over Saudi Arabia, adding hours and consuming additional fuel, adding to costs carriers will have to absorb.

Officials and carriers set out staggered resumption points: Emirates put Dubai operations on hold until 15: 00 local time (13: 00 GMT) on Monday; Etihad gave a suspension until 02: 00 local time (also stated as 2am UAE time on Monday); Qatar Airways said it would issue an update by 9am Doha time on Monday; and Flightradar24 posted that a notice to airmen had extended closure of Iranian airspace until at least 8: 30am UK time on Tuesday. Travel conditions remain fluid and airlines urged passengers to check for further updates ahead of planned departures.