Middle East Flights Cancelled & Airspace Closures — March 2026

Which Airspace Is Closed Right Now? (Iran, Iraq, Gulf Region)

How Are Flights Being Rerouted?

My Flight Was Cancelled — What Are My Rights?

Over 52,000 flights have been cancelled since the conflict began on Feb 28. If your flight to or through the Middle East has been cancelled, here's what you're entitled to:

• Don't cancel your booking yourself. Wait for the airline to cancel. If you cancel voluntarily while the flight is still scheduled, you may lose your right to a refund or rebooking.
• Full refund or rebooking. Under both EU261 and US DOT rules, if the airline cancels your flight you are entitled to a full refund to your original payment method, or rebooking on an alternative flight — even with a different airline.
• Duty of care. If you're stranded, airlines must provide meals, hotel accommodation, and transport between the hotel and airport. This applies regardless of whether the disruption was within their control.
• Compensation may be limited. Airspace closures caused by military conflict are generally classified as "extraordinary circumstances" under EU261, which exempts airlines from the standard €250–€600 compensation. However, your right to refund, rebooking, and care remains intact.
• Check airline waivers. Emirates, Etihad, Qatar Airways, BA, Lufthansa, and others have published temporary change/cancellation waivers. These often allow free rebooking within a window (e.g., Emirates: rebook within 20 days or full refund).
• Travel insurance. Check your policy for "war and civil unrest" exclusions. Many standard policies exclude conflict zones, but some premium and annual policies do cover.
• Document everything. Save all emails, boarding passes, airline communications, receipts for expenses, and screenshots of cancellation notices. You'll need these for any claim.

Is It Safe to Fly to Dubai, Qatar, or Saudi Arabia Right Now?

As of March 18, 2026, multiple governments have issued travel advisories against non-essential travel to the Gulf region. Here's the current situation by destination:

• Dubai (DXB): Dubai International Airport is open but operating under reduced capacity. UAE airspace was temporarily closed again on the morning of March 18 after a drone-related fire near DXB at 6:30am local — several Emirates flights were diverted to Al Maktoum (DWC) or returned to origin. Airspace reopened and flights are gradually resuming. Emirates is running a limited schedule with a rebooking window through May 31. Multiple drone incidents have hit near DXB since Feb 28. All major governments advise against non-essential travel.
• Qatar (DOH): Hamad International is operating limited flights under restricted routing (LAEEB/DATRI fixes only). Qatar Airways announced a revised limited schedule from March 18–28. Flight availability is extremely limited and prior approval is required.
• Saudi Arabia (JED/RUH): Domestic flights normal. International flights operating under contingency routing. Jeddah and Riyadh airports open. Some overflights unavailable. Lower risk than Gulf states but still elevated.
• Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq: Airspace fully closed. No commercial flights operating.
• Israel (TLV): Severely restricted. Limited PPR (prior permission required) arrivals and departures only. BA has cancelled all Tel Aviv flights through May 31.

Official Sources & Live Airspace Data

Which Airlines Have Cancelled Flights? (Airline-by-Airline Status)

Here's the current cancellation and rebooking status for every major airline affected. Cancellation rates as of early March: Emirates ~38.5%, Qatar Airways ~41%, Flydubai 50%+.

Frequently Asked Questions