Over 11,000 Flights Cancelled as Middle East Conflict Disrupts Global Air Travel

World 12:54 PM - 2026-03-03
Qatar Airways and Emirates Airways plane is parked at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport s some flights to Dubai and Doha cancelled. Reuters

Qatar Airways and Emirates Airways plane is parked at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport s some flights to Dubai and Doha cancelled.

Iran Israel Iraq Qatar Türkiye

Following the escalation of tension between Israel and the United States and Iran, and Tehran’s subsequent retaliation, most of the world’s major airlines have suspended services to countries across the region. According to a survey, approximately 11,000 flights have been cancelled since the conflict began.

Since the start of the war, both Iran and Israel have closed their airspace to all civilian flights, while Iraq has also suspended all air traffic and shut its airspace.

Qatar Airways has cancelled flights amid the closure of Qatari airspace. The airline has not announced a date for the resumption of operations, stating that this will depend on further guidance from the country’s Civil Aviation Authority and advising travelers to monitor updates through its official applications.

Meanwhile, Air France said it would extend the suspension of flights to Tel Aviv, Beirut, Dubai and Riyadh until 5 March, citing ongoing regional tensions.

The UAE’s national carriers, including Emirates and Flydubai, have also continued cancelling flights for a third consecutive day. Emirates has extended its suspension until Tuesday, 3 March, while Flydubai said it is adjusting its schedule in line with developments.

Türkiye has cancelled all flights to Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon until Friday, and on Tuesday suspended all services to Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates.

Israel’s national carrier, El Al, announced that it had relocated all aircraft outside Israeli territory following the closure of Israeli airspace to civilian aviation.

According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, more than 11,000 flights have been cancelled as a result of the conflict, disrupting travel plans for an estimated 1.5 million travelers worldwide.



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