Heathrow cancels flights as Middle East conflict disrupts travel.
Photo Credit: Chris Bahr / Unsplash
EUROPE’S busiest airport, London Heathrow, has cancelled nearly half of all its flights to the Middle East amid the escalating conflict between the US, Israel and Iran. Airborne missile attacks have sent European and Middle Eastern countries into travel chaos, leaving passengers stranded and causing airlines to issue numerous travel warnings.
London Heathrow and other airports pull services amid escalating strikes in Middle East clash
London Heathrow Airport was forced to cancel 24 of its 56 scheduled departures to the Middle East on Sunday, March 1, representing 43 per cent of its capacity. All flights to Israel and Bahrain have been cut, along with nine of 17 total services to the United Arab Emirates and nearly all, eight of nine, to Qatar.
Among the airlines that have pulled services after Dubai authorities closed airports until at least Tuesday, March 3 include British Airways (which has cancelled its services until Wednesday, March 4), Virgin Atlantic, Emirates and Qatar Airways.
British Airways has stated that services between Heathrow and Abu Dhabi, Amman, Bahrain, Doha, Dubai or Tel Aviv could be affected for several days.
Flights arriving and departing from airports in Tel Aviv, Dubai, Doha and other international hubs in the Middle East have been cancelled. In addition to these, Gatwick, Manchester and Scottish airports also reported Middle East cancellations, amid a holiday air traffic boom.
Airlines warn that trips could take longer due to rerouting
Apart from cancellations, several airlines are warning passengers that trips to certain places could take longer due to the necessary rerouting to avoid the affected areas. Virgin Atlantic, for example, has suspended services between London and Riyadh and Dubai, and has warned that flights to India, Saudi Arabia and the Maldives will be rerouted to avoid the sensitive zones.
Airspaces remain partially or fully closed amid dangerous strikes, deaths and injuries
On Sunday, March 1, airspace over Iran, Israel, Iraq, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Syria remained closed, and partial closures were active in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. Additionally, there is limited flight activity over Jordanian and Lebanese airspace.
Since the strikes began on Saturday, one person has been killed and 11 others have been injured at airports in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Four of these injuries were sustained by members of staff at Dubai International, the world’s busiest airport in terms of foot traffic.
Travellers issued a warning by London Heathrow
Travellers who planned to take a trip during this time are strongly encouraged to double check for flight cancellations, especially if they are travelling to a sensitive zone. London Heathrow Airport has urged travellers to check with their airlines for long-haul travel changes.
Iran’s strikes are retaliatory following the killing of its supreme leader
The strikes, according to Iran, have been retaliatory following the killing of its supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during a US-Israeli strike on Iranian land early on Saturday, February 28. Over the last few days, several explosions could be heard in Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan and Qatar. The conflict deepened when an Iranian missile strike set the entrance of a hotel on Dubai’s famed Palm Jumeirah man-made island ablaze.
Since the initial strikes, Israel and Hezbollah, the Shia Islamist Lebanese political party, have been exchanging fire amid the conflict. Israel has ordered the evacuation of Beirut villages due to the explosive strikes.
Additionally, Germany, France and the United Kingdom have publicly confirmed that they are coordinating their diplomatic and security responses with the United States following the escalation of the conflict.
