Multiple airlines on Saturday simultaneously suspended flights across the Middle East, including to and from the world’s busiest travel hub, Dubai. The suspension has left an estimated 150,000 to 200,000 passengers stranded or diverted mid-flight, according to Reuters.
This decision by airlines and airports across the region came after the United States and Israel launched a joint pre-emptive strike on Iran, effectively turning the entire gulf airspace into a war zone.
Following the joint strike by the United States and Israel early Saturday morning, Iran retaliated by targeting US military bases across regions like Bahrain, Qatar and UAE leading to widespread panic and damage across the ‘economic paradises’ of the middle-east.
The three sided confrontation led to multiple aviation hubs across the conflict zone to completely shut down their operations. Flight maps showed one of the world’s busiest airspace connecting Asia to Europe as virtually empty.
Airlines have cancelled almost 40% of flights to Israel and 6.7% of flights to the broader region on Saturday, according to preliminary Cirium data. Notably, as per a recent Reuters report the number is likely to rise in the coming hours.
Major carriers including Air India, IndiGo, Lufthansa, KLM, Air France, and Wizz Air have suspended all services to Tel Aviv, Amman, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and other Gulf hubs.
In India, major carriers like IndiGo and Air India monitored the situation alongside DGCA in real-time and engaged in massive rerouting exercises via Afghanistan and Central Asia, significantly increasing fuel costs and flight times.
Air India routes to Europe and North America remained among one of the worst affected. Flights are being rerouted via the North Pole or around the southern tip of Africa, adding 4–6 hours to travel times.
As one can imagine, this recent widespread disruption turned some of the busiest and most efficient airports across the world into a scene of utter chaos and uncertainty with stressed, tired passengers roaming around the airports in sweat; while some slept on chairs, waiting rooms and yoga mats.
This article will take you through the recent condition of some of the ‘major international airports’ and tell you what to look out for in case you’re ever affected by such a disruption.
Dubai International (DXB): The world’s ‘transit lounge’ goes dark
Dubai International, which handled nearly 100 million passengers last year, effectively hit the “off” switch. The suspension of operations at DXB and Al Maktoum International airports has sent ripples across the globe, as Dubai serves as the primary “bridge” between the West and Asia-Pacific.
Emirates and flydubai, both carriers have grounded their home fleets. Emirates confirmed it has “temporarily suspended operations” due to multiple regional airspace closures.
Thousands of passengers are currently occupying airport lounges and floor space. On X (formerly Twitter), the hashtag #DubaiAirport is trending with videos of massive queues at transfer desks.
“Six hours on the tarmac and now told the hotel is full. No one knows when the next flight is. Total chaos,” posted one traveler whose post has gone viral with over 200,000 views.
Queues of people at Qatar
The disruption has hit the UAE and Qatar particularly hard, with witnesses describing explosions heard near key transport hubs.
Qatar Airways temporarily suspended flights amid regional airspace closures. Witnesses also reported explosions heard in parts of the Gulf, including Qatar, adding to passenger anxiety.
Hamad International handles more than 45 million passengers annually, translating to roughly 120,000–130,000 daily travellers. Even partial shutdowns can affect tens of thousands of connecting passengers, particularly those travelling between Europe and Asia.
On X, travellers described “zero information at transfer desks” and long waits for baggage retrieval after flights were cancelled mid-journey.
Uncertainty at Abu Dhabi (Etihad airport)
All departures have been suspended until at least 1000 GMT Sunday. In a nightmare scenario for those in the air, the airline confirmed that flights already en route are being ordered to return to their origin airports.
Etihad Airways suspended all flights departing Abu Dhabi until 1000 GMT on Sunday. Flights en route to the Gulf hub were instructed to return to their origin airports where required.
Abu Dhabi International Airport, which handles over 20 million passengers annually, likely saw tens of thousands of affected passengers over the suspension window.
Passengers complained online about mid-air diversions and uncertainty over baggage handling.
The human cost: What happens to the stranded?
For passengers caught in this geopolitical crossfire, the immediate future is a bureaucratic maze of “Duty of Care” protocols:
Hotel & Meal Vouchers: While major carriers like Lufthansa and Emirates are providing vouchers, the sheer volume of stranded travelers has exhausted airport-linked hotels.
The “Cape of Good Hope” Route: Much like the Red Sea shipping crisis, airlines are now forced to fly “the long way” around the conflict zone, adding 3 to 5 hours to India-Europe routes.
Financial Fallout: Analysts at Dyami warn that longer flight times and war-risk insurance premiums will likely lead to an immediate 15-20% spike in ticket prices for the upcoming season.
Insurance claims: Travel insurance policies covering “trip interruption” may reimburse additional hotel or meal expenses, subject to policy terms. However, extraordinary circumstances such as war or security threats can limit compensation claims, even if care obligations remain.