See the latest status of air travel, including departures from popular holiday destinations such as Dubai, Cyprus and Egypt after the Iran war forced airports to close and airlines to cancel flights.
The war in Iran has plunged air travel into its biggest crisis since the pandemic, as airports close around the world and airlines cancel scores of flights.
The conflict between Iran, the United States and Israel has spread across the Middle East and has led to widespread airspace closures, causing major flight disruptions and leaving thousands of British tourists stranded abroad.
Popular holiday destinations such as Egypt, Abu Dhabi and Dubai are among those that will suspend all flights or severely limit departures, but the “domino effect” is also affecting travel to and from other countries, including Cyprus and Turkey.
Here’s the latest on flight cancellations, cruises, and your rights if something goes wrong:
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READ MORE: First flights to Dubai as Emirates and Etihad operate very limited routesREAD MORE: Cyprus flights updated as easyJet, British Airways and Ryanair cancel routes this week
What destinations are affected?
The UK Foreign Office now advises against all but essential travel by United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Bahrain.
Airspace closures mean flights to and from the united arab emirates (including Dubai and Abu Dhabi)Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Kuwait and Oman are almost completely cancelled, with aviation largely reserved for military and cargo flights.
If you have an upcoming flight to one of these countries, you should contact your airline as soon as possible.
While flights to and from Cyprus, Egypt and Turkey They run largely as scheduled, they may be subject to delays or cancellations at short notice, so please check periodically with your airline before traveling.
Travel Tips for Dubai and the United Arab Emirates
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs advises against all but essential travel to the United Arab Emirates.
Your travel insurance could be invalidated if you travel against this advice.
British citizens currently in the country must remain at home due to the risk of missile attacks, with current advice saying: “Stay at home in a safe location, avoid all travel and follow the guidance of local authorities.”
Travel Tips for Cyprus
After a suspected Iranian-made drone was fired at the RAF base in Akrotiri, the Foreign Office updated its advice to say: “Regional escalation poses significant security risks and has caused travel disruption.
“British citizens in the Sovereign Base Areas must follow the instructions of the Sovereign Base Areas Administration. British citizens in the Republic of Cyprus must follow the instructions of the local Cypriot authorities.”
Turkey travel tips
The Foreign Office advises against all travel within 10 kilometers of the Syrian border due to “fighting and the increased risk of terrorism.”
Egypt travel tips
There is an “increased risk of regional tension” which “could lead to travel disruptions and other unforeseen impacts”, the Foreign Office said.
Which airlines have canceled flights?
A handful of flights will bring British nationals stranded in the Middle East back to Britain today, but most departures from the region remain cancelled.
The current status of Emirates flights is that the airline plans to operate two flights to Heathrow, one to Gatwick and one to Manchester. At least some of these flights will be operated by the airline’s A380 aircraft, which can carry up to 615 passengers each, depending on their configuration.
Emirates typically operates 146 weekly flights to the UK, which equates to around 21 per day.
Etihad Airways has scheduled a flight to the UK on Tuesday, from Abu Dhabi to Heathrow.
Qatar Airways, which normally flies to Heathrow and Gatwick from Qatar, said on Tuesday morning that its operations remain suspended due to the closure of Qatari airspace.
British Airways canceled its scheduled flights to Heathrow from Abu Dhabi, Amman, Bahrain, Doha and Dubai on Tuesday.
The airline told passengers: “We are closely monitoring the situation and have canceled several of our flights to the Middle East.
“Safety is always our top priority and we would never operate a flight unless it was safe to do so.”
Passengers booked on certain routes through March 15 can reschedule to fly on or before March 29.
Virgin Atlantic canceled a flight from Dubai to Heathrow.
What about connecting flights?
You could also be affected if you have to catch a changing flight at a war-affected airport such as Abu Dhabi, which acts as a major hub for connecting flights to Thailand, Vietnam, India, Australia and New Zealand. Check with your airline in advance if you have any questions.
What happens if I am stuck abroad?
The Foreign Office has advised British citizens currently in the Gulf to stay home and follow local authorities. Plans for evacuation and repatriation flights are underway, but in a very limited capacity, and you should not make any plans in this regard until you are contacted by British consular staff.
What are my rights if something goes wrong with my flights?
Please do not cancel your own ticket if your destination or connecting flight is affected; Instead, wait for the airline to cancel the flight.
If you cancel voluntarily, you will likely lose your right to a full refund or rebooking under UK air passenger rights.
It is important to check your travel insurance, as standard policies will generally cover long-term emergency medical expenses if you are stranded abroad, but many exclude cancellation or reduction costs that arise directly from acts of war.
What about cruises?
Thousands of cruise passengers are currently stuck in Middle Eastern ports due to the war in Iran.
At least six well-known ships from large companies, including TUI, are stopped waiting for news about when they will be able to set sail.
Among the affected cruise ships are the TUI Cruises ships Mein Schiff 4 and Mein Schiff 5, which are stranded in the ports of Abu Dhabi and Doha. The cruise line has had to cancel its upcoming sailings due to a lack of operational repatriation flights.
The MSC Euribia remains docked in the port of Dubai, under strict security measures, with shipments suspended until further notice.
The ships Celestyal Journey and Celestyal Discovery also had their departures canceled and are under supervision in regional ports.
TUI Cruises said in its latest alert: “We are currently monitoring the evolving situation in the Middle East region and the latest guidance from the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).”
Disruption ‘could last weeks’
Last night, US President Donald Trump said the joint US-Israeli military operation in Iran could last four to five weeks or “much longer”.
Aviation consultant John Strickland said it could take weeks to clear the passenger backlog, even if the conflict ends sooner.
He said: “It’s a bit uncertain (when that will happen) because of course it will depend on how long the airspace restrictions remain in place.
“But taking into account the high volumes of normal daily traffic and the large capacity of aircraft such as the A380 and Boeing 777, plus the fact that other flights covering similar routes operate at high occupancy, then it will certainly be a considerable period of time which would likely extend to weeks.”
