Airlines across the globe are grappling with significant disruptions to their Middle East and Gulf operations, prompting revised schedules and flight cancellations. The ongoing geopolitical tensions in the region have led to widespread airspace closures, forcing carriers to reroute flights, incur additional costs, and leave many passengers stranded. This evolving situation is impacting both international and regional travel significantly.
Qatar Airways Adjusts Operations
Qatar Airways has implemented a revised, limited flight schedule until March 28th, affecting flights to and from Hamad International Airport in Doha. The airline’s website announced that this temporary schedule aims to reconnect the Qatari capital with over 70 destinations spanning Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and the Pacific. These adjustments are described as “enhanced to give more flexibility to passengers wishing to travel,” with bookings now open.
The broader aviation landscape in the Middle East has been severely shaken by the conflict between the US-Israel and Iran. This has resulted in the closure or restriction of key aviation corridors that link Europe, Asia, and Africa. Consequently, airlines have been compelled to either cancel flights or divert their aircraft onto longer, more expensive routes. Major aviation hubs like Dubai and Abu Dhabi have not been immune to these disruptions, experiencing direct impacts including drone incidents near their airports. Compounding these challenges are surging jet fuel prices and heightened safety concerns, which have collectively contributed to a crisis affecting hundreds of thousands of travellers worldwide.
British Airways Extends Regional Cancellations
British Airways has extended its temporary reduction of flights to several destinations across the Middle East and the Gulf. Previously, the airline had announced cancellations for all flights to and from Amman, Bahrain, Doha, Dubai, and Tel Aviv until later in March. Services to and from Abu Dhabi were slated for cancellation until later in the year.
In a recent update, British Airways confirmed that flights to Amman, Bahrain, Dubai, and Tel Aviv are now cancelled up to and including May 31st. Flights to Doha will remain suspended until April 30th. Citing “airspace instability,” the airline stated it is “keeping the situation under constant review” and is in direct communication with affected customers to provide a range of options.
Global Airlines Respond to Middle East Instability
Airlines within the Lufthansa Group, which encompasses Lufthansa, SWISS International Air Lines, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, ITA Airways, and Eurowings, have suspended flights to and from several key Middle Eastern cities. These suspensions include:
* Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Amman, and Erbil until March 28th.
* Tel Aviv until April 9th.
* Beirut until March 28th.
* Tehran until April 30th.
Additionally, flights to and from Riyadh have been suspended until April 5th, citing “operational reasons.”
Gulf Air, Bahrain’s national carrier, has expanded its temporary operations from King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, due to the closure of Bahraini airspace. The airline has introduced a limited schedule of special flights from Dammam to major international destinations, including Frankfurt, Nairobi, London, Mumbai, and Bangkok, with travel permitted up to and including March 28th.
Air India has announced supplementary flights to European and North American destinations. Between March 19th and 28th, the airline will operate 36 additional flights on the following routes: Delhi-London, Mumbai-London, Delhi-Frankfurt, Delhi-Zurich, and Delhi-Toronto. These flights are expected to add 10,012 seats across the five routes, thereby increasing capacity and offering more choices to travellers during a period of limited travel options.
Oman Air continues to operate its network, but certain routes are temporarily affected. Flights to and from Amman, Dubai, Bahrain, Doha, Dammam, Kuwait, Copenhagen, Baghdad, and Khasab are cancelled until March 31st.
The Indian low-cost carrier IndiGo has suspended planned flights to several Middle Eastern destinations until March 28th. Services to Doha, Kuwait City, Bahrain, Dammam, Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah, and Sharjah remain suspended. Due to the “evolving situation” in the Middle East, IndiGo’s flight operations in Dubai have also been “further restricted.”
Philippine Airlines has temporarily suspended several Middle Eastern routes until March 28th. The airline has halted flights between Manila and Riyadh, Dubai, and Doha. An additional Doha-Manila flight originally scheduled for March 29th has also been cancelled.
Etihad Airways has recommenced a “limited flight schedule” operating from its hub at Zayed International Airport in Abu Dhabi. The airline had outlined more than 70 destinations planned for operation between March 6th and 19th.
Air Arabia has commenced operating a limited number of flights to and from the UAE, subject to operational and regulatory approvals. Between March 6th and 22nd, a limited flight schedule will operate between Sharjah, Abu Dhabi, and Ras Al Khaimah, connecting to over 40 destinations.
Virgin Atlantic‘s seasonal Dubai service has been suspended for the remainder of the winter season. The airline’s flights to Riyadh have also been paused for the next two weeks, with ongoing assessments to be made in accordance with the latest safety guidance.
Low-cost carrier Wizz Air has suspended flights to Israel until March 29th. Additionally, flights to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Amman, and Jeddah from mainland European destinations are suspended until mid-September.
Turkish Airlines has cancelled flights to and from Bahrain, Dammam, and Riyadh (Saudi Arabia), Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Syria, and the UAE.
Air France is actively monitoring the regional situation in real-time. However, due to the closure of certain airspaces, the airline has been compelled to extend the suspension of its flights to and from Dubai and Riyadh until March 20th inclusive, and to and from Tel Aviv and Beirut until March 21st inclusive.
Dutch airline KLM is currently avoiding the airspace of Iran, Iraq, and Israel, as well as several countries in the Gulf region. Consequently, flights to, from, or via destinations in these areas are either cancelled or adjusted. KLM’s flights to Tel Aviv are suspended for the remainder of its winter season operations, while flights to and from Dammam, Riyadh, and Dubai are suspended up to and including Saturday, March 28th.
Air Canada has announced that all flights to and from Dubai and Tel Aviv are currently suspended and are scheduled to resume on March 23rd.
Garuda Indonesia, Indonesia’s national flag carrier, has temporarily suspended flights to and from Doha “until further notice,” as stated in a company release.
