Rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East have triggered widespread flight cancellations and airspace closures, disrupting global aviation and leaving several passengers stranded at the airports. Following military strikes involving the United States, Israel and Iran, key aviation hubs including Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi have faced temporary shutdowns. This has forced airlines worldwide to suspend or reroute services.
Several Indian carriers, including Air India, IndiGo, Akasa Air, SpiceJet and Air India Express, have cancelled flights to and from the Gulf region, leaving hundreds of passengers stranded at major airports, such as Delhi and Mumbai.
Here’s a detailed breakdown of airline-wise cancellations and travel advisories.
Air India has suspended all flights to and from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Israel and Qatar until 11:59 PM IST on March 2, 2026. The airline also cancelled six Europe-bound services on March 2:
AI117: Amritsar – Birmingham
AI151/152: Delhi – Zurich (return)
AI157/158: Delhi – Copenhagen (return)
AI114: Birmingham – Delhi
Air India has confirmed that, despite the disruptions, flights to North America and select European destinations will continue to operate via alternative routes. However, passengers should expect longer travel times.
Flights to New York (JFK) and Newark will operate with technical halts at Rome Fiumicino Airport. The airline said affected passengers are being contacted directly and offered rebooking or refunds.
IndiGo has cancelled around 200 flights on March 2, suspending services that operate through Middle Eastern airspace.
Major affected routes include connections between India and Kuwait (KWI), Muscat (MCT), Doha (DOH), Abu Dhabi (AUH), Sharjah (SHJ), Dubai (DXB) and Ras Al Khaimah (RKT).
The airline issued a travel advisory stating that passengers will be notified via registered contact details if their flights are impacted. Travellers can:
Rebook through alternate options
Claim a full refund via the airline’s website
Akasa Air has suspended flights to and from Abu Dhabi, Doha, Jeddah, Kuwait and Riyadh until March 2. The airline said passengers with bookings affected until March 7 may:
Reschedule at no additional cost
Opt for a full refund
Akasa Air stated that its teams are proactively reaching out to impacted travellers.
Air India Express has extended the suspension of flights to and from Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE until 23:59 IST on March 2. Passengers booked for travel until March 5 can:
Reschedule to a future date without change fees
Cancel and receive a full refund
The airline confirmed that affected guests are being directly informed.
SpiceJet has also cancelled several international flights due to ongoing airspace restrictions.
The airline has advised passengers to check their flight status before heading to the airport, as further cancellations may be announced depending on airspace developments.
The crisis has not been limited to Indian carriers. Several international airlines have temporarily halted operations to major Middle Eastern hubs.
Emirates suspended all flights to and from Dubai until 1500 UAE time on March 2 due to regional airspace closures. Passengers travelling before March 5 can:
Rebook within 20 days of the original travel date
Request a refund
Customers who booked via travel agents must coordinate through their agents.
Etihad Airways suspended all flights to and from Abu Dhabi. "Regional airspace closures continue to impact Etihad's operations, and all flights to and from Abu Dhabi are suspended until 14:00 UAE time on Monday 2 March," it said in a post on X.
The airline cited continued regional airspace closures impacting operations and has advised travellers to:
Check their flight status at http://etihad.com before travelling to the airport
Ensure their contact details are up to date in their booking
Guests holding Etihad tickets issued on or before 28 February 2026, with original travel dates up to 3 March 2026, may rebook free of charge onto Etihad-operated flights up to 15 March 2026.
Guests on all Etihad flights until 3 March may request a full refund at http://etihad.com/en/help/refund-form or through their travel agent.
Guests who booked through a travel agent should contact their agent directly.
Qatar Airways temporarily halted operations to and from Doha due to Qatari airspace closure.
The airline said services will resume once the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority declares the airspace safe. A further operational update is expected by March 2.
British Airways is allowing passengers flying between London and Abu Dhabi, Amman, Bahrain, Doha, Dubai, or Tel Aviv to change their travel dates free of charge through March 15.
Passengers scheduled to travel up to March 8 may also request a full refund.
Air France cancelled flights to and from Tel Aviv, Beirut, Dubai and Riyadh through March 3.
KLM warned that its Dubai, Riyadh and Dammam services may face disruptions through March 6, while Tel Aviv flights remain suspended.
Lufthansa suspended flights to and from Tel Aviv, Beirut, Amman, Dammam, Erbil and Tehran until March 8. Dubai services are suspended until March 4.
With tensions continuing to escalate, aviation experts warn that disruptions could extend if airspace closures remain in place. Gulf hubs play a critical role in long-haul global connectivity, and prolonged shutdowns may ripple across Europe, Asia and North America.
For now, airlines continue to prioritise passenger safety while offering refunds and flexible rebooking options. Travellers are advised to check flight status before leaving for the airport and allow additional buffer time for international journeys.
As the situation evolves, further cancellations and schedule changes remain likely.
(With inputs from various sources.)
1. Why are airlines cancelling flights due to the Middle East airspace crisis?
Airspace closures over key Gulf hubs have forced airlines to suspend or reroute services for safety reasons amid rising geopolitical tensions involving the United States, Israel and Iran.
2. Which Indian airlines have been affected by these cancellations?
Several Indian carriers including Air India, IndiGo, Akasa Air, SpiceJet and Air India Express have cancelled flights to and from Gulf destinations.
3. What options do passengers have if their flight is cancelled?
Most airlines are offering passengers the choice to rebook at no additional cost or receive a full refund, with specific policies varying by carrier.
4. Which global airlines have suspended operations due to Middle East airspace closures?
Airlines including Emirates, Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways, British Airways, Air France-KLM and Lufthansa have temporarily halted services or cancelled flights.
5. Will flights to North America and Europe still operate?
Some airlines, like Air India, are rerouting flights via alternative hubs such as Rome to maintain services, though travel times may be longer.