Travel advisories, closed airports, empty skies: How Middle East air disruptions might affect your plans
By Marnie Hunter, CNN
(CNN) — The war with Iran continues to cause aviation chaos in the Middle East and beyond as some of the world’s busiest airports attempt to manage the fallout of airspace closures, with only a limited number of flights now departing the region.
The US is advising its citizens to leave the region now. The Trump administration has said it is working to secure military aircraft and charter flights to assist the thousands of US citizens trapped in the Middle East.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters Tuesday that more than 1,500 Americans have requested assistance from the State Department to depart the Middle East, while officials say they’ve answered calls from nearly 3,000 American citizens in the region.
“We have identified and continue to identify charter flights, military flight options and expanded commercial flight options, meaning working with the airlines to send bigger airplanes with more seats,” Rubio said, speaking to news outlets on Capitol Hill.
Rubio said that in “a couple instances” planes were on their way to the region before the airspace was closed and they had to turn around.
A wide corridor of airspace over the Middle East remained closed on Wednesday morning as countries neighboring Iran restricted flights in and out of the region.
Some flights have left airports in US-friendly Persian Gulf states, including United Arab Emirates cities Dubai and Abu Dhabi, but the situation remains fluid and travelers are being urged to monitor government alert systems and check with their airlines.
Continued strikes have added to a complicated picture emerging for travelers stranded in the region.
Here’s what travelers need to know.
What are governments advising?
The State Department has urged US citizens to “DEPART NOW” from countries throughout the Middle East “due to serious safety risks,” however the limited number of flights poses a challenge for those trying to exit the region.
“It’s going to take a little time, because we don’t control the airspace,” said Rubio, who also assured stranded Americans on Tuesday that the US will be able to assist them.
State Department officials said they are actively securing aircraft and flights for American citizens who want to leave the Middle East.
“We’ve been in direct contact with nearly 3,000 Americans abroad. American citizens should call 1-202-501-4444 for assistance with departure options,” Dylan Johnson, assistant secretary of state for global public affairs, posted Tuesday on X.
Rubio asked Americans to register with the State Department so they can get updated information about evacuation opportunities. They can register with the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program at step.state.gov.
“We need to know where you are… They have to register with us, because as these options begin to open up … we have to be able to call you, we have to be able to reach you,” Rubio said.
An earlier post on X from the State Department’s top official for consular affairs on Monday had called on US citizens to depart “using available commercial travel” from Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, the West Bank and Gaza, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen.
On Tuesday, Canada’s government posted a notice on X advising travelers to “leave the United Arab Emirates as soon as you can secure a flight option. The airspace is subject to intermittent, temporary and partial closures.” It has also advised Canadians to avoid all travel to Bahrain, Iraq, Israel, Palestinian territories, Kuwait, Lebanon, Qatar and the UAE and to avoid nonessential travel to Jordan, Oman and Saudi Arabia.
The United Kingdom’s government says British nationals in Bahrain, Israel, Kuwait, Palestinian territories, Qatar and the UAE should register their presence to receive direct updates from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
The Australian government has opened an emergency portal for citizens in Israel, Iran, Qatar and the UAE, and warned its citizens overseas to be prepared for serious travel disruptions in the days ahead due to the conflict in the Middle East.
Australians have been advised not to travel to most destinations in the Middle East. This includes Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Kuwait, Lebanon, Palestinian territories, Qatar, Syria, the UAE and Yemen.
They should also reconsider the need to travel to Jordan, Oman and Saudi Arabia.
Is Middle East airspace still closed?
The skies over the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Israel, Bahrain, Iraq and Jordan all remained nearly empty Wednesday morning, as shown on maps by flight tracking website Flightradar24.
The Middle East is home to several major airlines, including Emirates and Etihad in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and Qatar Airways, based in the Qatari capital, Doha. And the impact stretches far beyond the Middle East. All three of those cities are major global hubs, with millions of passengers transiting through them each year.
Emirates, which had suspended all flights to and from its bases, resumed a limited number of repatriation and freight flights Monday night. All scheduled Emirates flights to and from Dubai will remain suspended until at least 11.59 p.m. UAE time on March 7, according to its website.
The Dubai Airports website advises travelers not to proceed to the airport unless they have been contacted directly by their airlines.
All of Etihad’s scheduled commercial flights to and from Abu Dhabi remain suspended until 2 p.m. UAE time on March 5. The airline said “some repositioning, cargo and repatriation flights may operate in coordination with UAE authorities and subject to strict operational and safety approvals.”
Qatar Airways flights to and from Doha’s Hamad International Airport remain suspended due to the closure of Qatari airspace.
Prices of flights between Asia and Europe have shot up as a result of the closures, Reuters reports.
There are two ways for carriers offering nonstop Asia-Europe flights to bypass the closed Middle Eastern airspace. They can fly north via the Caucasus then over Afghanistan, or south via Egypt then over Saudi Arabia and Oman.
However, this may add to flight times and fuel usage, at a time when oil prices are surging.
How many flights have been canceled?
Close to 2,000 flights have been canceled as of Wednesday afternoon UAE time, adding to the thousands of international flights that have been canceled since Sunday, according to data from FlightAware.com.
Outside the region, other airlines continue to reroute or cancel flights that had been scheduled to fly near the conflict zone.
German airline Lufthansa, for instance, has suspended regular flights to and from Dubai until March 6. It has also suspended flights to Tel Aviv, Beirut, Amman, Erbil, Dammam, and Tehran until March 8.
What should you do if your flight is canceled?
Travelers are advised to check with their airline or travel agent as soon as possible for information on rebooking and refunds, though passengers are reporting difficulties getting assistance because of high caller volumes.
Policies vary according to the airline, with options for refunds or fee-free rebooking. Policies from Emirates and Etihad are listed on their websites, with specifics subject to change as the situation evolves.
Airlines outside the region, such as British Airways, are also offering flexibility to affected travelers.
What about cruises?
Cruise ships in the region have also been affected, with thousands of passengers and crew waiting on vessels that have been waylaid in ports in the UAE and Qatar. Among them is the Mein Schiff 5, operated by Germany-based TUI Cruises, which is now in Doha Port after completing its itinerary. TUI has canceled other cruises scheduled to commence in the region in coming days.
TUI’s chief executive Sebastian Ebel said Tuesday that the company plans to repatriate German customers stranded in the Middle East within several days, Reuters reports.
TUI Cruises said that a special Emirates flight departed from Dubai to Munich with 218 guests from Mein Schiff 4, its vessel in Abu Dhabi.
Swiss-Italian operator MSC Cruises said its vessel, the MSC Euribia, is remaining in Dubai following guidance from US regional military authorities, according to Reuters.
What is being done for stranded passengers?
Several countries are now working to get their stranded nationals home safely, with evacuation flights now underway. British foreign minister said the UK is working with airlines to boost evacuations, while France arranged two flights on Tuesday. Germany, Italy and the Czech Republic have also begun arranging flights out of the region.
Americans in Israel have “fairly limited” options to leave the country, according to US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee. In a post on X Tuesday, Huckabee urged American citizens to “follow the directions of Home Front Command, which are right now to shelter in place and to be close to a shelter at all times.”
The Middle East has a strong contingent of foreign workers, many from Asia – and many of them were just as eager to leave the region as short-term visitors.
The Philippines government said it was working on potential exit points for Filipino domestic workers, including the possible use of military assets and private-sector resources for departures by land, sea or air.
On March 2, Indonesia’s government said more than 6,000 of its citizens had departed Saudi Arabia since February 28, but tens of thousands more remain stranded.
As for expenses, the United Arab Emirates will cover the food and accommodation costs of the tens of thousands of travelers stranded in the country during the conflict, according to state media.
The UAE’s Department of Culture and Tourism sent a notice to hotels requesting that they extend the stay of passengers who are unable to travel “for reasons beyond their control,” reported newspaper The National.
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