Airspace throughout many elements of the Middle East was closed because the US and Israel launched an assault on Iran on Saturday morning, leading to a number of counter assaults on US airbases throughout elements of the GCC. Flights have been grounded throughout a lot of the area, with worldwide airways rerouting, suspending services, and avoiding key airspace corridors as safety dangers escalate.
This article was revealed on Saturday, 28 February 2026 and can be up to date to mirror confirmed developments as they evolve.
How airspace restrictions are affecting flights proper now
Several airspaces are presently closed, that means flights throughout the area have been grounded, suspended, and rerouted.
These modifications have resulted in:
- Longer flight occasions because of airways avoiding closed airspace throughout the Middle East
- Technical gasoline stops as flight occasions develop into longer because of rerouting
- Select route suspensions, significantly by European and North American carriers
Flights to and from the UAE are presently grounded as UAE airspace is briefly closed
With the UAE’s airspace presently closed, here is what international vacationers have to find out about visiting Dubai and the UAE.
Which international locations within the Middle East are presently affected?
As of Saturday, 28 February, the standing of airspace throughout the area is combined:
- Iran: airspace is closed, with most Western airways avoiding it completely
- Iraq: airspace is closed, airways have suspended scheduling
- Israel: airspace is closed, with airways internationally suspending providers
- UAE: airspace is briefly closed, with all main UAE airways grounding flights and worldwide airways suspending routes
- Qatar: The Qatar Civil Aviation Authority confirmed a short lived suspension of all air site visitors
- Kuwait: Kuwait’s Civil Aviation Authority confirmed the nation’s airspace was briefly closed
- Bahrain: Bahrain has grounded a number of flights amid studies of missile fireplace in its airspace
What airways are doing in response
Several worldwide airways have temporarily suspended flights to elements of the area or adjusted schedules to keep away from in a single day crew stays and high-risk corridors.
European teams, together with Virgin Atlantic and Lufthansa Group, have confirmed non permanent route suspensions, whereas a number of extra worldwide airways are rerouting. Cities affected by these suspensions embody Dubai, Riyadh, Dammam, Amman, Kuwait City, and Tel Aviv.
Gulf carriers, together with Emirates, Etihad, and Qatar Airways, have been compelled to floor flights because of airspace closures, and proceed to observe the scenario carefully.
The newest updates as a rising variety of governments situation journey warnings for the Middle East.
What are aviation authorities advising?
The UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) has introduced airspace closures as a “precautionary measure”. The “exceptional precautionary measure aimed at ensuring the safety of flights and aircrews, and safeguarding the UAE’s territory,” it mentioned.
What does this imply for vacationers?
Travelers ought to count on a spread of sensible disruptions, together with:
- Technical stops: significantly on low-cost carriers, with unscheduled gasoline stops in southern Europe
- Cancellations: whereas airspace is closed, airways haven’t any selection however to floor flights
- Schedule shifts: if and when flights resume, count on there to be knock-on influence on flight schedules as airways scramble to get passengers again within the air
- Rerouting delays: longer flight durations even on providers that stay operational
Airlines are providing refunds and versatile rebooking choices, although insurance policies fluctuate by provider. Travelers transiting by Dubai or Riyadh are suggested to observe connections carefully for knock-on delays.