Airline passengers face travel chaos for days as all UK flights to and from the Middle East are grounded until at least Monday, with thousands of travellers stranded.
Flights to and from countries in the Middle East are to remain suspended until Monday as the conflict in the region continues, major airlines have said.
It comes after US and Israeli forces attacked Iran on Saturday morning in what the two countries described as a “pre-emptive” strike against a Tehran government intent on developing nuclear weapons. The attack prompted retaliation from Iran, with missiles reported to have targeted Israel and countries across the Middle East.
The grounding of flights at the world’s busiest international airports — Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi — means 2,500 flights and about half a million people affected, as 20,000 people typically land and depart from those airports every hour on average.
In a statement published on X on Sunday morning, Emirates airline said: “Due to multiple regional airspace closures, Emirates has temporarily suspended all operations to and from Dubai, up until 3pm UAE time on Monday March 2.”
The airline has advised passengers booked to travel before or on March 5 to rebook on an alternate flight, or request a refund.
Etihad Airways advised passengers that all flights to and from Abu Dhabi were suspended until 2am UAE time on Monday. It advised travellers to check their flight status on its website before travelling to the airport and ensure their contact details are up to date in their booking.
People holding Etihad tickets for travel on dates up to March 3 can also request a full refund, the airline added.
Qatar Airways said that flights remained temporarily suspended due to the closure of Qatari airspace, and warned holidaymakers against scammers trying to impersonate Qatar Airways staff.
Virgin Atlantic said on Sunday morning that it is continuing to avoid Iraqi airspace, resulting in some pre-planned rerouting of flights between London Heathrow and the region. A spokesperson said that flights between London Heathrow and Dubai had been cancelled on Sunday and Monday, as well as services between Heathrow and Riyadh.
A spokesperson added: “We continue to monitor the situation in the Middle East with ongoing dynamic assessments and active changes to our flight routings based on the latest information and guidance, if required.”
There are still 83 flights scheduled to operate between the UK and the Middle East on Sunday, according to aviation analytics company Cirium.
Martin Boreham, who had been on holiday in Dubai with his wife, was due to get a flight back to Heathrow on Sunday when the captain told the passengers the airspace had been closed.
He sat on the tarmac for three hours before disembarking and having to go back through immigration and baggage reclaim.
Speaking to The Independent on Sunday, he said the pair had managed to sort a hotel for the night on Saturday and Sunday and were expecting an update on Monday at 3pm. “All very surreal here at the moment,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Foreign Office has advised British nationals in Bahrain, Israel, Palestine, Qatar and United Arab Emirates to register their presence with the UK government to receive updates on the situation in the Middle East.
In a statement published on X on Saturday night, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said: “British nationals in Bahrain, Israel, Palestine, Qatar and United Arab Emirates can register their presence to receive direct updates from the FCDO on the situation in the Middle East.
“You should continue to follow travel advice and the advice of the local authorities.”
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