If you have travel coming up — or know someone who does — this is the one piece of content worth reading in full and sending on.

The Middle East is in the middle of the biggest aviation disruption since COVID-19. Thousands of flights have been cancelled, major airline hubs have been partially or fully shut, fares have surged, and the rules around refunds and insurance are far more nuanced than most people realise.

We've pulled together everything that matters — what's happening, who's affected, what airlines are actually doing about it, and the critical things travellers need to know before making any decisions.

What's Actually Happening

The conflict that escalated in late February 2026, involving the US, Israel, and Iran, triggered a cascade of airspace closures across the Middle East that the aviation world simply wasn't built to absorb. Countries including Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, and Syria closed their airspace entirely. The UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan have operated with severe restrictions, opening and closing corridors with little notice.

The knock-on effect has been enormous. Dubai, Doha, and Abu Dhabi together process around 90,000 passengers a day — and every single one of those journeys has been affected in some way. Flights between Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia that would normally route over the Middle East are now being redirected hundreds — sometimes thousands — of kilometres off course, adding fuel costs, flight time, and crew scheduling complexity that ripples through entire networks.

As of this week, the situation remains volatile. Airspace corridors are opening and closing. Airlines are operating at significantly reduced capacity. And the global aviation system, which relies on the Middle East as one of its most critical transit corridors, is still adjusting.

Which Airlines Are Affected — and What They're Doing

The disruption varies significantly by carrier, and the waiver policies on offer are not all equal. Here is what the major airlines are currently doing.

Emirates is operating a reduced schedule. If your flight was cancelled, you can rebook free of charge or request a full cash refund. Check the Emirates website for your specific route before heading to the airport.

Qatar Airways was among the hardest hit, suspending operations almost entirely in early March. As of April, it is operating around 80 flights a day — roughly 35 to 40 percent of its normal capacity. The airline has extended flexibility generously: passengers affected by cancellations can rebook free of charge for travel up until 31 October 2026, or request a full refund. Qatar is targeting a return to 120 destinations by mid-June.

Etihad Airways is now operating to around 80 destinations out of Abu Dhabi. Their commercial waiver (officially the CW005-2026 waiver, if you want to quote it to an agent) allows one free date change for tickets issued before 28 February 2026, with rebooking available until 15 May. Crucially, they are offering full cash refunds on unused tickets — not just travel credits. This also extends to pre-paid extras like lounge access, seat upgrades, and extra baggage.

British Airways has cancelled all services to Dubai, Amman, Bahrain, and Tel Aviv until June 2026. Customers are being offered a full refund or rebooking. Importantly, they have also cancelled flights to Abu Dhabi through mid-September.

Air France has suspended Tel Aviv, Beirut, Dubai, and Riyadh flights until 19 April.

KLM has suspended Dubai, Tel Aviv, Riyadh, and Dammam until 17 May.

Singapore Airlines has been quietly adding capacity elsewhere — with extra services now running on Singapore to London Gatwick and Singapore to Melbourne — as it reroutes away from the most disrupted corridors.

The practical reality: fares on routes that are still operating have surged by 40 to 60 percent above normal April levels on some connections. Seat availability is extremely tight. If you need to rebook, doing so quickly matters.

The Things Most Travellers Don't Know (But Should)

This is where it gets important — and where most people get caught out.

Do not cancel your booking yourself if the flight hasn't been cancelled yet.

This is the single most common and costly mistake. If your flight is still showing as scheduled, cancelling it yourself will almost certainly mean you are not entitled to a full refund. Wait for the airline to cancel, then claim. The policy is clear: if the airline cancels, you are owed either a full refund or an alternative flight. If you cancel because you are nervous about the situation, you are generally treated as a voluntary cancellation.

Your travel insurance may not cover what you think it does.

Standard travel insurance policies typically exclude cancellations caused by acts of war, military action, and airspace closures. That means if you decide not to travel because of the situation — but your flight hasn't been cancelled — making a claim is unlikely to succeed. However, the picture is more nuanced than a flat "not covered." If your flight is delayed, rerouted, or you miss a connection because of the disruption, those downstream impacts — delay costs, missed connection expenses, emergency accommodation — may well be covered under your policy's travel delay or trip disruption benefits. Read your policy carefully, contact your insurer directly, and do it before you make any decisions about your trip.

Airlines must still look after you, even during a conflict.

This surprises many people. Even though the disruption is being classified as "extraordinary circumstances" — which means airlines are legally protected from paying fixed delay compensation — they are still legally required to provide meals, refreshments, and hotel accommodation if you are stranded overnight. If an airline refuses you a meal voucher or accommodation because "it's a war situation," they are wrong, and you can push back. Keep every receipt for expenses incurred during the delay; most airlines will reimburse reasonable costs if you file within 21 days.

Don't accept a travel credit if you want cash.

Airlines will often offer a travel voucher or credit first — it's easier for them. If your flight was cancelled, you are entitled to a full cash refund. You are under no obligation to accept a credit. Be explicit: ask for a cash refund to your original payment method.

Watch out for scammers.

Fraudsters are actively exploiting this situation. Fake social media profiles impersonating Emirates, Qatar Airways, and British Airways are messaging stranded passengers and people with upcoming bookings, asking for personal information and directing them to money transfer links. Qatar Airways' only legitimate support handles on X are @qrsupport and @qatarairways. When in doubt, contact the airline only through their official website.

If You're Connecting Through Dubai, Doha, or Abu Dhabi

Many travellers don't have a Middle East destination — they're just routing through one of the Gulf hubs on the way to somewhere else. If that's you, the disruption still very much applies.

The rerouting of traffic through alternate hubs — particularly Istanbul — has created significant congestion and knock-on delays across European routes. Flights that were diverted via alternative paths are also experiencing extended journey times of 30 to 90 minutes on average, with some running considerably longer. If you have a connection to catch, the risk of a missed connection right now is meaningfully higher than normal.

The pragmatic advice: if you're booked to connect through any Gulf hub in the next six to eight weeks, contact your airline to check the current status of your routing, ask about the waiver policy that applies to your ticket, and build in more buffer time than you normally would.

Alternative Destinations Worth Considering

For travellers whose Middle East plans have been disrupted or who are reconsidering upcoming trips, a few destinations are emerging as compelling alternatives — and in some cases are seeing genuine upsides from the shift in traffic.

Muscat, Oman has quietly become one of the most interesting cities to fly into right now. Sitting just outside the worst-affected Gulf airspace, it has been a staging point for evacuation and repositioning flights, which means connectivity is actually holding up surprisingly well. As a destination in its own right, it offers everything the Gulf region is known for — luxury hotels, desert landscapes, exceptional food — with a fraction of the crowds.

Southeast Asia — Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia — is seeing a surge in interest from travellers who have pivoted away from the Middle East and European summer. The Indian Ocean island properties (Maldives, Seychelles, Mauritius) are similarly well-placed.

Europe is absorbing a wave of visitors who might otherwise have gone to the Gulf, meaning popular summer destinations are booking faster than usual. If Europe is on your list for later in the year, moving on it sooner rather than later is sound advice.

The Bottom Line

The situation is serious, but manageable — particularly if you know the rules. The most important things: don't self-cancel, understand what your insurance does and doesn't cover, know what you're owed, and if you're connected to a travel advisor, now is exactly the time to be leaning on them.

We're monitoring the situation closely and will keep you updated as things develop. If you have upcoming travel you're concerned about — or you know someone who does — feel free to share this post.

This blog was published on 11 April 2026. Airline policies are evolving rapidly — always check directly with your carrier for the most current information on your specific booking.