Widespread journey disruption continues following Iran strikes

Thousands of travellers stay stranded at airports throughout the Gulf area after joint US and Israel navy strikes on Iran over the weekend led to mass airline cancellations for the Middle East area. 

Tensions got here to a head on Saturday 28 February when US-Israeli missiles have been first launched in Iran, which prompted Iranian strikes focusing on main airports within the area.

This included Dubai International Airport – the world’s greatest worldwide hub and a central artery for air visitors between Europe and Asia – the place a concourse “sustained minor damage” following an assault over the weekend, the airport confirmed. Flight operations on the hub stay suspended till additional discover whereas air house over Iran, Iraq, Israel, Syria, Bahrain, Qatar and the UAE stays closed, based on a Bloomberg report.

Regional carriers Emirates, Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways have briefly suspended all flights till Tuesday 3 March, whereas operations throughout a number of main European airways have additionally been affected.

Flight monitoring web site FlightConscious reported 5,987 international flight cancellations over the weekend. At the time of publication on Monday 2 March, a further 2,156 flights had been cancelled, together with 9,622 delays.

Lufthansa Group airways – which incorporates SWISS, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines and ITA Airways – will droop flights to Tel Aviv, Beirut, Amman, Erbil, Dammam and Tehran till 8 March. Flights to from Dubai are suspended till 4 March and airspace over the United Arab Emirates won’t be used throughout that point.

The group additionally suggested that its carriers will keep away from the airspace over Israel, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Dammam and Iran till 8 March.

Air France has cancelled flights to and from Tel Aviv, Beirut, Dubai and Riyadh till 3 March. Meanwhile, sister airline KLM stated it’s at the moment not flying by means of the airspace of Iran, Iraq and Israel, “nor over several countries in the Gulf region”. Flights to and from Dubai, Riyadh and Dammam have been suspended till 5 March, whereas flights to Tel Aviv shall be suspended for the rest of its winter season operations.

IAG-owned British Airways stated on Sunday (1 March) that it’s “closely monitoring the situation” and has cancelled “a number of flights” to the Middle East. BA prospects flying between London and Abu Dhabi, Amman, Bahrain, Doha, Dubai or Tel Aviv by means of to fifteen March can change their flight date freed from cost to journey on or earlier than 29 March, the provider stated. Customers booked for journey as much as and together with 8 March may also request a full refund.

Virgin Atlantic additionally suspended providers between London and Riyadh and Dubai over the weekend, together with flights scheduled for two March.

In a televised tackle on Sunday, UK prime minister Keir Starmer stated the “the United Kingdom was not involved in the strikes on Iran” however has since been known as upon to assist defend its allies within the Middle East. “We have British jets in the air as part of coordinated defensive operations which have already successfully intercepted Iranian strikes,” Starmer stated, including that the UK authorities has granted the US navy entry to British bases within the area for “defensive purposes”. Hours after this tackle, a UK Royal Airforce Base in Cyprus was hit by a suspected Iranian drone assault.

The UK international workplace has suggested in opposition to all however important journey to the UAE, Qatar and elements of Lebanon. It has additionally warned in opposition to all journey to a number of nations within the Middle East, together with Iran, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and elements of Turkey.

Governments in France, Germany, and Italy have equally revised their journey advisories in regards to the Middle East. Germany has urged its residents to keep away from travelling to the whole area, whereas Italy’s international affairs ministry on Friday (27 February) warned in opposition to all journey to Iran and Iraq and all non-essential journey to Lebanon. It additionally suggested Italian nationals in Israel to “exercise maximum caution and remain vigilant”.