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All three giant Middle East hubs close down, disrupting plans for hundreds of thousands of travellers
Simon Calder Travel Correspondent & Holly BancroftSaturday 28 February 2026 17:37 GMT- Bookmark
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Close popoverFlights divert Iran after US and Israel launch strikes
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Passengers have been plunged into travel chaos after the cancellation of flights between Western Europe and the Middle East after the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran.
The “major combat operation” confirmed by Donald Trump on Saturday morning has had a devastating impact on flights in the region, as Iran and Iraq’s airspaces were closed due to the escalating action.
Until around 6am GMT on Saturday, some planes were flying over Iran, mainly on north-south routes serving Dubai and other hubs. Such flights have now ended.
Dubai International Airport, the biggest global hub, has suspended flights. On a typical day, around a quarter of a million passengers fly in and out of “DXB”.
The main airline, Emirates, said: “Due to multiple regional airspace closures, Emirates has temporarily suspended operations to and from Dubai.
“We apologise to customers affected by disruptions for any inconvenience caused, and we are assisting them with rebooking, refunds, or alternative travel arrangements. The safety and security of our passengers and crew remain our highest priority.”
All other airlines are affected. British Airways passenger Mike Boreham was aboard flight BA108, preparing to depart from Dubai to Heathrow, when the captain announced airspace had closed.
“We were all boarded,” he told The Independent. “The flight is completely full. About 10 minutes after the ‘boarding complete’ announcement we were told airspace is closed.”
After the closure was announced, many flights heading for Dubai returned to their starting points, including Emirates from Dublin, Turkish Airlines to Istanbul and LOT to Warsaw, which was also the landing place for the Emirates inbound flight from Seattle.
Abu Dhabi airport has closed until at least 2pm on Sunday. The home airline, Etihad, said: “All flights scheduled to depart Abu Dhabi are suspended until 2pm UAE time [10am GMT] on Sunday 1 March.
“Flights scheduled to arrive into Abu Dhabi before 2pm UAE time on Sunday 1 March will be cancelled. Services scheduled to arrive after this time are expected to operate, subject to operational conditions.
“Flights already en route to Abu Dhabi are returning to their origin airports where required.
“Affected guests are being contacted directly and are being supported with rebooking options and hotel accommodation where necessary.
“Guests connecting via Abu Dhabi should note that if their onward sector has been cancelled, they will not be permitted to board at their departure airport.”
Qatar Airways has suspended all flights to and from its hub in Doha, with flights from Birmingham, Edinburgh, Manchester, Dublin and Heathrow all returning to their starting points.
British Airways has cancelled all its Saturday flights linking London Heathrow with Amman, Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Doha. In addition, flights linking London with Bahrain and Tel Aviv are grounded until 3 March.
BA passengers due to travel between London Heathrow and Abu Dhabi, Amman, Bahrain, Doha, Dubai or Tel Aviv in the coming days have the option to change their flights for free.
Virgin Atlantic has cancelled its London Heathrow-Dubai flight on Saturday and the return flight on Sunday, as well as tomorrow’s link between Heathrow and Riyadh.
open image in galleryIranian and Israeli airspace has been closed (Flightradar)A Virgin Atlantic spokesperson told The Independent: “Due to the escalation of conflict in the Middle East, we have made the decision to temporarily avoid the airspace of Iraq, resulting in some pre-planned rerouting of our flights.
“The safety and security of our customers and people is always our top priority and we apologise for any inconvenience caused.”
Wizz Air has suspended all flights to and from Israel, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Amman with immediate effect until 7 March as a result of the strikes.
A spokesperson for the Hungarian budget airline said: “The airline is closely monitoring developments and remains in ongoing contact with local and international authorities, aviation safety agencies, security authorities, and relevant governmental bodies.
“We acknowledge the disruption this may cause and appreciate the understanding of our customers. Passengers with affected bookings will be contacted directly with information regarding their options."
open image in galleryThe US and Israel have carried out a series of strikes on Iran (AP)Many airlines have grounded operations to and from Tel Aviv, including Delta, United, Air France, KLM, Aegean and FlyDubai.
Even for passengers who are booked on nonstop flights between the UK and Asia, extended flight paths and air traffic control congestion are likely to cause disruption until the airspace reopens.
The Foreign Office has updated its travel advice to warn against all travel to Israel and Palestine.
In a statement on its website, it said: “Due to the threat posed by escalation in the region, we recommend against all travel to Israel and Palestine.
“On 28 February 2026, the US and Israel commenced joint military action in Iran, Israeli airspace has now closed.”
British nationals in the region are urged to take “sensible precautions”, including following advice from regional authorities, staying away from military facilities and ensuring travel documents are up to date.
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