ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates.— Hundreds of thousands of stranded travelers They scrambled to make new connections and communicate with airlines after several airports in the Middle East were affected by the attack against Iran on the part of USA e Israel.
Tourists and business travelers packed hotels and airports, with no word on when many airports would reopen or when flights to and through the Middle East would resume. Some governments advised their citizens to shelter in place.
The attack launched by the US and Israel on Iran has plunged Middle East airports into chaos. EU aviation regulator advises against flying there as thousands of travelers, planes and crews are stranded at airports https://t.co/zqIfzhxoxo
— EL PAÍS (@el_pais) March 1, 2026
Airports closed in Dubai, Abu Dhabi y Doha —including the Dubai International Airportone of the busiest in the world—are important hubs for travel between Europe, Africa and the West with Asia. The three were directly hit by attacks.
Candlea signature of aviation analysispointed out that it is difficult to calculate the number of affected travelers around the world.
However, it estimated that at least 90,000 people change flights daily at Dubai, Doha or Abu Dhabi airports on just three airlines: Emirates, Qatar Airways and Etihad.
Airports and airspace still closed
🌐 International | ✈️🌍 Closed sky and travelers stranded due to the conflict in the Middle East. More than 1,500 flights were canceled on Sunday, equivalent to 40% of scheduled traffic 🚫📉 https://t.co/ucewipGDH7
— The Economist (@eleconomista) March 1, 2026
Airspace or airports in Israel, Qatar, Syria, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman and the United Arab Emirates were closed, according to flight tracking sites and government agencies there.
More than 1,800 flights were canceled on Sunday to airports across the Middle East, including those in Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Türkiye and Egypt, according to Cirium. At least that many flights were canceled on Saturday.
The cancellations will extend beyond Sunday, at least.
Emirates Airlines suspended all flights to and from Dubai until at least Monday afternoon. Qatar airport was closed until at least Monday morning, according to Qatar Airways. The Israeli airline El Al announced that it was preparing a program to bring back Israelis stranded abroad once airspace reopens.
Two airports in the United Arab Emirates reported incidents, as the government condemned what it called “a blatant Iranian ballistic missile attack” on Saturday.
Officials of the Dubai International Airport reported that four people were injured, while the Zayed International Airportin Abu Dhabi, said one person was killed and seven others injured in a drone attack. Attacks were also reported at Kuwait International Airport.
Iran did not publicly take responsibility for the incident.
Flight delays and cancellations likely to continue
🚨 BREAKING NEWS | The United Arab Emirates will cover accommodation, meals and relocation costs for approximately 20,200 passengers stranded by regional tensions and airspace closures. pic.twitter.com/5V5fKtp289
— Teach me about Science (@EnsedeCiencia) March 1, 2026
Airlines urged passengers to check their flight status online before heading to the airport. Some airlines have issued waivers to affected travelers that will allow them to reschedule their flight plans without paying additional charges or higher fees.
“For travelers, there is no way to sugarcoat this,” he said. Henry Harteveldtairline industry analyst and president of Atmosphere Research Group. “They should prepare for delays or cancellations over the next few days, as these attacks evolve and hopefully end.”
Mike McCormickwho used to supervise air traffic control for the Federal Aviation Administrationmaintained that countries could reopen their airspace once US and Israeli authorities inform airlines where military flights are operating and how capable Iran remains of firing missiles.
Check the status of your flight before you travel
🇦🇪 Dubai, United Arab Emirates | Airport authorities have temporarily suspended all flights at Dubai airports, leaving thousands of passengers stranded, amid rising military tensions in the Middle East. The measure was adopted as part of… pic.twitter.com/fN0bmQI5KR
— Z101 Digital (@z101digital) February 28, 2026
The repercussions were felt far beyond the Middle East — for example, airport authorities on the Indonesian resort island of Bali said more than 1,600 tourists were stranded at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport on Sunday after five flights to the Middle East were canceled or postponed.
Airlines crossing the Middle East will have to divert flights to get around the conflict, and many flights will head south over Saudi Arabia, causing delays and higher costs.
Flights to the Middle East remain canceled after airspace closure
Crisis in Middle East Airports: Attacks on infrastructure, massive disruption of operations and thousands of stranded travelershttps://t.co/rWe5vt7vvp
— Aviation al Día (@aviacion_al_dia) March 1, 2026
In Europe, the main airlines continued this Sunday with the temporary cancellation of their flights to several Middle Eastern countries due to the closure of Israel’s airspace, following the increase in tensions in the region.
Iberia Express maintains its daily flight between Madrid and Tel Aviv suspended until March 10, while Air Europa It also does not operate its route to that city until March 3 and plans to evaluate operations from that date.
The company noted that it is in constant contact with the competent authorities to “prioritize the safety of its passengers and crew at all times.”
In addition, the daily flight to Doha, Qatar, operated by Iberiaremains cancelled.
The French company Air France extended until March 3, including the cancellation of its flights to or from the cities of Tel Aviv, Beirut, Dubai and Riyadh.
Turkish airlines Turkish Airlines and Pegasus canceled more than a hundred flights to Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon and Jordan.
For its part, Emirates temporarily suspended all operations to and from Dubai until this Monday and offered different options for people who have a flight booked before or until March 5, as stated on the social network X.
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