Some of the busiest travel hubs in the world, including Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi, were shut for long hours. Thousands of passengers were left stranded as airlines either cancelled flights or changed their routes to avoid risky areas.
Major airports shut and flights disrupted
Large transit airports like Dubai International and Doha’s Hamad International Airport faced major disruptions. Dubai International, the main base for Emirates, reportedly saw more than 600 outgoing flights cancelled. Doha’s airport also stopped operations for a period, hitting Qatar Airways’ global network.
Other airports were also affected. Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion International Airport and Jeddah’s King Abdulaziz International Airport saw services disrupted as airlines tried to deal with closed airspace and safety concerns.
According to Reuters, airlines in Europe, Asia and the Middle East cancelled flights to cities such as Tel Aviv, Beirut, Tehran, Dubai and Riyadh.
Emirates and Qatar Airways were among the worst hit. Each airline cancelled more than 400 flights as of late Sunday, based on flight tracking data. Qatar Airways temporarily halted flights due to the closure of Qatari airspace.
Airlines suspend and reroute services
Many international carriers announced cancellations or route changes. Aegean Airlines stopped flights to and from Tel Aviv, Beirut and Erbil through March 3. Air France cancelled services to Tel Aviv, Beirut, Dubai and Riyadh through March 3.
KLM warned of disruptions to Dubai, Riyadh and Dammam through March 6 and suspended Tel Aviv flights.
British Airways allowed passengers travelling between London and cities such as Abu Dhabi, Amman, Bahrain, Doha, Dubai and Tel Aviv to change travel dates without extra charges until March 15. Refunds were reportedly offered for those travelling up to March 8.
Cathay Pacific cancelled Dubai flights until March 5 and suspended Riyadh services through March 3. Emirates and Etihad Airways paused operations from their Dubai and Abu Dhabi hubs on March 2.
Other airlines, including ITA Airways, Lufthansa, LOT Polish Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Norwegian Air, Singapore Airlines, Scoot, Turkish Airlines and Wizz Air, also suspended or rerouted services.
Japan Airlines stopped its Tokyo-Doha flights, affecting around 1,000 passengers across six services. Airlines reportedly said safety risks, restricted airspace and operational limits were the main reasons for these decisions.
Indian carriers face heavy impact
The crisis has also hit Indian aviation. IndiGo, which operates several routes to Dubai, Doha and Jeddah, recorded the highest number of cancellations among non-West Asian airlines.
At Delhi airport, 410 flights operated by Indian airlines were cancelled on February 28. On March 1, at least 350 flights were scrapped. By March 2, a minimum of 300 flights were expected to be affected as airlines continued to adjust schedules.
The civil aviation ministry said Indian carriers cancelled around 350 international flights on Sunday. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is working with airlines and related agencies to handle the situation.
In addition, a Passenger Assistance Control Room has been set up to help stranded travellers.
Air India extends suspension and changes routes
Air India extended the suspension of all flights to and from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Israel and Qatar until 11:59 pm IST on March 2. The deadline has now passed, and further updates are awaited based on the evolving situation.
The airline also cancelled six Europe-bound services on March 2, including Amritsar-Birmingham (AI117), Birmingham-Delhi (AI114), Delhi-Zurich (AI151 and AI152), and Delhi-Copenhagen (AI157 and AI158). On Sunday, it had cancelled 50 international flights.
Flights to North America and Europe are being operated through alternative routes. Services to New York’s JFK and Newark Liberty International Airport are making technical stops at Rome’s Fiumicino Airport.
With Iranian and Iraqi airspace closed, Air India aircraft are flying via Oman, southern Saudi Arabia and Egypt. This has increased travel time to Europe by 30 to 40 minutes and raised operating costs.
The airline reportedly said it is reviewing safety and airspace availability before finalising schedules and is informing affected passengers while arranging other travel options.
SpiceJet to operate four special flights from Fujairah
On March 3, SpiceJet announced it would operate four special flights from the United Arab Emirates’ Fujairah airport. The move is aimed at helping Indian citizens stranded due to ongoing flight disruptions caused by the West Asia crisis.
These flights are meant to bring back travellers who have been unable to return home after airspace closures in the Gulf region forced widespread cancellations and suspensions.
The airline reportedly said this step aims to support affected passengers while normal schedules remain unsettled amid continued safety concerns and limited corridor openings.
