4 days ago
4
US attacks on and Iran have sparked travel chaos in the Middle East.
12:17, Sat, Feb 28, 2026 Updated: 13:13, Sat, Feb 28, 2026
Flights have been cancelled (Image: Getty)
Passengers travelling between Western Europe and the Middle East have been plunged into chaos after the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran. All flights at Dubai International Airport have now been suspended until further notice, authorities have confirmed.
The “major combat operation”, confirmed by US President Donald Trump early on Saturday, prompted Iran and Iraq to shut their airspace as missiles were exchanged between Israel and Iran. The immediate consequence was a near-total halt to normal east–west flight corridors across the region.
All flights suspended at Dubai International Airport until further notice (Image: Getty)
In a brief statement, airport officials said operations at the UAE’s primary international gateway had been halted amid the escalating regional conflict. No timeframe has yet been given for when services may resume.
The suspension marks a significant escalation in disruption at the world’s busiest international aviation hub, which typically handles around a quarter of a million passengers per day.
Earlier, airlines had been cancelling and diverting services due to widespread airspace closures across Iran and Iraq following joint US–Israeli military action.
Data from flight tracking service Flightradar24 showed aircraft overnight diverting across northeast Iraq en route to Gulf hubs. By around 6am GMT, that pattern had ended, with planes instead being rerouted westward over Saudi Arabia or returning to their departure airports.
Dubai International serves as the main base for Emirates and a critical transit point linking Europe, Asia, Africa and Australasia. The full suspension of departures and arrivals is expected to have immediate knock-on effects across global aviation networks.
Emirates said multiple regional airspace closures had forced it to temporarily suspend operations to and from Dubai, apologising to customers and offering rebooking and refunds. While many Emirates services are continuing, flights to Baghdad, Beirut and Amman have been grounded.
Other carriers rapidly followed suit. Qatar Airways suspended all flights to and from Doha after Qatari airspace closed, with services from Birmingham, Edinburgh, Manchester, Dublin and Heathrow turning back mid-journey.
*** Ensure our latest news headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as Preferred Source in your Google search settings. ***
Full list of Airlines affected
- Air Arabia has cancelled flights to Iran, Iraq and other parts of the region
- Air France has cancelled flights to and from Tel Aviv in Israel and Beirut in Lebanon
- Air India has suspended flights to all destinations in the Middle East
- Bulgaria Air has cancelled all flights to and from Tel Aviv in Israel until 2 March
- Emirates has suspended all operations.
- Lufthansa is suspending flights to and from Tel Aviv in Israel, Beirut in Lebanon, and Oman
- Norwegian Air is suspending all flights to and from Dubai
- Oman Air has suspended flights to Baghdad
- Qatar Airways has suspended flights temporarily due to the closure of Qatari airspace
- Russian carriers flying to Israel and Iran are suspended, according to the Russian transport ministry
- Turkish Airlines has cancelled flights to Iraq, Iran, Lebanon, and Syria are cancelled until 2 March, while flights to Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and the UAE are cancelled for today
- Virgin Atlantic is rerouting flights to avoid Iraqi airspace and cancelled its London to Dubai service
- Wizz Air is suspending all flights to and from Israel, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Amman, with immediate effect until 7 March
British Airways has cancelled Heathrow services to Bahrain and Tel Aviv until 3 March, as well as Saturday’s flight to Amman. A spokesperson said the airline was closely monitoring developments and stressed that “safety is always our top priority”.
Virgin Atlantic cancelled its Saturday Heathrow–Dubai service as a precaution, while also rerouting other flights to avoid Iraqi airspace.
Airlines across Europe, Asia and North America have implemented similar measures. Lufthansa suspended flights to Tel Aviv, Beirut and Oman. Air France cancelled services to Tel Aviv and Beirut. Turkish Airlines halted flights to Iraq, Iran, Lebanon and Syria. Wizz Air suspended all flights to and from Israel, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Amman until 7 March.
A spokesperson for Wizz Air said the airline was in continuous contact with aviation safety agencies and governmental bodies, adding: “We acknowledge the disruption this may cause and appreciate the understanding of our customers.”
The latest news from around the world Invalid email
We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our Privacy Policy
The UK Foreign Office has updated its travel advice, warning against all travel to Israel and the Palestinian territories due to the escalating conflict. British nationals in the region have been urged to follow local authority guidance and ensure travel documents are current.
Passengers are being urged to check directly with their airlines for updates and not to travel to the airport unless specifically advised.
English (US) · 