Air travel has resumed in several countries in the Middle East following Monday’s temporary airspace closures due to Iranian missile attacks on a U.S. military base in Qatar. However, the closures led to widespread flight cancellations, delays, and diversions, wreaking havoc in several affected airports as thousands of stranded travelers faced long delays and lengthy lines.
On Monday, dozens of flights were canceled, rerouted, or diverted to avoid countries including Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Bahrain, all of which temporarily closed airspace following Iran’s retaliatory missile attack in response to an earlier U.S. strike on Iranian nuclear facilities. Portions of airspace in Saudi Arabia near Qatar also were restricted, according to flight-tracking site Flightradar24.
Normal operations have since resumed at most affected airports, including Doha’s Hamad International Airport, one of the world’s busiest flight hubs, which reported a record-breaking 52.7 million passengers in 2024. In addition, a tentative cease-fire has also been established between Iran and Israel, which could help ease tensions in a region beleaguered with conflict since the start of the Israel-Hamas war in October 2023.
How airlines and airports are responding
Monday’s airspace closures, which came one day after the State Department issued a worldwide caution travel alert for U.S. citizens following U.S. air strikes against Iran, mark yet another hurdle in an especially turbulent chapter for air travel in the Middle East and beyond—particularly as the commercial aviation industry grapples with the aftermath of several high-profile crashes.
Three major U.S. airlines have issued travel waivers for Middle East flights. American Airlines issued a change-fee waiver for flights to, through, and from Doha in Qatar and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates for travel through July 6. Similarly, United Airlines is offering rebooking options for Dubai flights purchased on or before June 17 for travel through July 3 and for Tel Aviv flights for travel through August 1. Travelers booked on a flight to, through, or from Tel Aviv with Delta Air Lines also have options for changing their travel plans through the end of August.
Several affected airports and airlines based in the busy Middle East flight corridor alerted travelers about the airspace closure and resulting disruptions via social media, providing status updates about cancellations and additional information for passengers prior to their trips.
Not surprisingly, Middle East airlines were among the hardest hit. On Tuesday afternoon, Qatar Airways said via X that it was in the process of restoring service to the 170 destinations in its global network.
“Following the temporary closure of Qatari airspace on June 23, Qatar Airways is now making progress in restoring its schedule with possible disruptions until June 26,” Qatar Airways said in an update online.
Those with a flight scheduled with Qatar Airways through June 30 have until July 15 to change their flight without a fee, or can receive a full refund if they no longer choose to travel.
Emirates apologized for the disruption, stating in a post on X that it is working with affected passengers for flight rebookings and refunds. The Dubai-based carrier also confirmed that following a “thorough and careful risk assessment,” it will “continue to operate flights as scheduled, using flight paths well distanced from conflict areas.”
Meanwhile, airlines based elsewhere that provide service in the Middle East also have faced significant challenges during the region’s recent instability. According to the Guardian, British Airways, Air France–KLM, and Singapore Airlines canceled departures over the weekend to destinations in the Middle East following the United States’ missile attack on Iran. British Airways planned to resume service from Heathrow to Dubai and Doha, only to contend with the airspace closures on Monday.
Finnair has also scrapped the remainder of its June service from its hub in Helsinki to Doha: No flights between the cities are available to book on its website until July. (The development follows a troublesome month for Finland’s flagship airline, which was forced to cancel hundreds of flights in mid-June because of worker strikes at Helsinki Airport.)
What to expect going forward
“The situation appears to be trending toward de-escalation,” Michael Rogers, chief security analyst at International SOS, a global security- and health-risk management company, said via email. However, Rogers also advised travelers planning to fly to the Middle East to remain vigilant about their upcoming trips, as the current landscape could quickly change.
“The coming 24 to 48 hours remain volatile, with potential for resumption of hostilities and cascading impacts on the security and operating environments across the region, including on commercial air travel,” he said.
International SOS has been closely monitoring the situation and shares real-time alerts and advisories with its clients, Rogers told Afar. In addition, he added that “travelers need to ensure access to verified, real-time information and remain prepared for potential short-notice flight disruptions in the event hostilities resume.”
