Tensions in the Middle East region continue to rise after the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran on February 28, targeting key locations. Tehran retaliated, attacking US bases in several Gulf countries in return, plunging the region into a deeper and renewed military confrontation. The crisis in Iran has now caused an aviation crisis, with several global airlines suspending flights to the Middle East and planes grounded in one of the world’s busiest regions.
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Thousands of passengers around the world were left stranded after airlines were forced to cancel or suspend flights, CNN reported. Among the airports reportedly most affected are those in US-friendly Gulf states, including the cities of Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, which have been targeted by Iranian retaliation for hosting US military bases.
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Is Middle Eastern airspace still closed?
As of Monday, March 2, a wider corridor of airspace over the Middle East region remains closed. These include Qatar, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Israel, Bahrain and Iraq. The skies over all of these countries remained nearly empty as Iran’s neighboring countries continued to restrict flights to and from the region, according to flight-tracking website Flightradar24.
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Which Middle Eastern airlines have suspended operations?
The Middle East region is home to some of the world’s major airlines, including Emirates and Etihad in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and Qatar Airways, which is based in Qatar’s capital, Doha. Emirates and Etihad have suspended all flights to and from their bases until the afternoon of March 2 local time. Qatar Airways has also suspended flights to and from Hamad International Airport, located in the country’s capital.
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The impact of the cancellation of flights by the three major airlines goes far beyond the Middle East region. Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi are major global hubs through which millions of travelers pass each year.
How many international flights have been canceled so far?
Thousands of international flights were canceled on March 1 and 2, CNN reported, citing data from FlightAware.com, with the numbers still rising. Other airlines outside the Middle East are rerouting flights that were previously scheduled to fly near the conflict zone. For example, German airline Lufthansa suspended flights to and from Dubai until March 4, and also suspended flights to Tel Aviv, Beirut, Amman, Erbil, Dammam and Tehran until March 8.
Swiss International Airlines also extended the suspension of flights to and from Dubai until March 4 and flights to and from Tel Aviv until March 8.
What to do if your flight is cancelled?
As tensions continue to escalate, there seems to be no end in sight, at least for the next few days, and thus the impact on the airline industry is likely to continue until the situation improves. Passengers are advised to check with their airline or travel agent as soon as possible regarding rebooking and refund information. However, passengers are reportedly facing problems in getting help due to the high volume of calls.
Although policies vary from airline to airline, they advise passengers to rebook an alternative flight or opt for a refund. According to information available on the Emirates website, passengers who booked their flight before or on March 5 can rebook a replacement flight to travel by March 20 or request a refund.
Travelers who made a booking through Etihad that was issued on or before February 28 with an original travel date of March 7 can book Etihad-operated flights for free until March 18.
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What do governments say?
Amid the ongoing conflict, many countries, including the US, have issued security alerts and are advising citizens to exercise caution or avoid the region. The US State Department advised US nationals worldwide to “exercise caution” and follow the latest guidance from the nearest US embassy.
Canada advised its nationals to avoid all travel to Bahrain, Iraq, Israel and Palestine, Kuwait, Lebanon, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, and to avoid non-essential travel to Jordan, Oman and Saudi Arabia.
The UK government is planning to bring back its citizens and has asked British nationals in the affected regions to register their presence to receive direct updates from the Foreign Office, Commonwealth & Development Office.
Australia on Monday warned its citizens overseas to be prepared for severe travel disruption in the coming days due to the conflict in the Middle East.
