Airspace closures after strikes on Iran lead to widespread flight disruption

Middle East airspace closures following February 28 strikes on Iran triggered large-scale flight disruption. Dubai International, Abu Dhabi and Doha halted operations, with reported damage at airports in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
Airlines including Emirates, Qatar Airways, Etihad, Air France, British Airways, Air India, Turkish Airlines, Lufthansa, Delta and United suspended services. Thousands of flights were canceled or delayed, and two long-haul flights diverted back to their origin. Authorities issued advisories as limited rescue flights operated. Passengers should check live flight status and prepare for changes.

Widespread flight disruption began on 28 February 2026 after coordinated strikes on Iran prompted immediate airspace closures across parts of the Middle East.
Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the UAE, Syria and Israel shut their skies, affecting key aviation corridors and halting operations at major hubs.

Dubai International, Abu Dhabi and Doha suspended operations entirely. Damage was reported at airports in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
As the closures took effect, more than 3,200 inbound and outbound flights were canceled, impacting carriers that normally handle large volumes of connecting traffic through the region.

Analytics indicated that on 28 February nearly 23% of scheduled flights to the Middle East were canceled, with that figure exceeding 1,800 when departures were included. On 1 March, a further 716 flights were canceled. Globally, by early Sunday, over 19,000 flights were delayed and more than 2,600 were canceled.

Diversions added to the impact. A Philadelphia–Doha service and an Auckland–Dubai service both turned back to their origin airports, each operating for nearly 16 hours without reaching their destinations.

Airlines worldwide suspended services to the region, including Air France, British Airways, Air India, Turkish Airlines, Lufthansa, Delta, United, and others.

Gulf carriers such as Emirates, Qatar Airways and Etihad were heavily affected by the shutdown of their core hubs. Authorities and airports, including Zayed International in Abu Dhabi, issued urgent advisories urging travelers to monitor flight status and expect delays or cancellations.
Limited rescue or emergency flights were arranged in some cases, but availability remained restricted relative to demand.

The disruption began on 28 February 2026 and continued into early March with no confirmed reopening timeline stated.
Passengers with bookings involving Middle East airspace or hubs should verify their flight status directly with their airline, consider alternative routings where available, and prepare for schedule changes and extended journey times.