Hundreds of thousands of travellers were left scrambling for alternative routes and trying to reach airlines on overwhelmed phone lines after US and Israeli strikes on Iran forced the closure of much of the Middle East’s airspace.
According to a report by Associated Press, tourists and business travellers crowded into hotels and airport terminals, uncertain when key hubs would reopen or when flights to and through the region would resume. Some governments advised their citizens to shelter in place while awaiting further information.
Airports in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha, major global transit points linking Europe, Africa and the West with Asia, were shut down after being directly hit by strikes. Dubai International Airport, one of the world’s busiest, was among those affected.
At Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Mohammad Abdul Mannan said his focus was not on the escalating conflict but on reaching his job overseas.
“We have set out to go for work, and we must go," he said. “My only concern is how to go abroad and how to earn an income,” Associated Press has quoted.
Confusion dominated airports and online booking systems as passengers sought updates through airline portals and jammed customer service lines.
In Dubai, travellers reported hearing fighter jets overhead and an explosion when the Fairmont Palm Hotel was struck by a missile. Many were unable to obtain updated flight details from tour operators or Dubai-based Emirates, which suspended all flights to and from the city until at least Monday afternoon.
Louise Herrle and her husband were among those stranded after their return flight to Washington was cancelled as they prepared to head home to Pittsburgh following a tour of Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
“We’re in the hotel room, we are not leaving it, so you’re not going to give it up until we know we have a flight out of here,” Herrle said. “I’m sure everyone else is in the same situation,” as quoted by Associated Press.
Widespread cancellations across the region
According to Associated Press, aviation analytics firm Cirium said it was difficult to determine the total number of stranded passengers but estimated that at least 90,000 people transfer daily through Dubai, Doha or Abu Dhabi on just three carriers, Emirates, Qatar Airways and Etihad Airways.
Airspace or airports in Israel, Qatar, Syria, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates were closed, according to flight-tracking sites and government authorities.
More than 1,800 flights to airports across the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Turkey and Egypt, were cancelled on Sunday, with a similar number grounded the previous day. Disruptions are expected to continue beyond the weekend, according to Associated Press.
India’s national carrier Air India suspended services to and from the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Israel and Qatar until Tuesday. Israeli airline EL AL said it was preparing to bring home stranded Israelis once airspace reopened and halted ticket sales through March 21 to prioritise affected customers.
Authorities in the United Arab Emirates reported casualties following the strikes. Officials at Dubai International Airport said four people were injured, while Zayed International Airport in Abu Dhabi confirmed one fatality and seven injuries in a drone attack. Strikes were also reported at Kuwait International Airport. Iran did not publicly claim responsibility.
Airlines advised passengers to check flight statuses online before heading to airports. Some carriers issued waivers allowing rebooking without additional charges, while others offered full refunds.
“For travellers, there’s no way to sugarcoat this,” said Henry Harteveldt, an airline industry analyst and president of Atmosphere Research Group. “You should prepare for delays or cancellations for the next few days as these attacks evolve and hopefully end,” as quoted by Associated Press.
Mike McCormick, a former US air traffic control official, said countries could begin reopening airspace once American and Israeli authorities clarify where military operations are underway and assess Iran’s missile capabilities.
Global ripple effects
According to Associated Press, the disruption extended well beyond the Middle East. On Indonesia’s resort island of Bali, airport authorities said more than 1,600 tourists were stranded at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport after five flights to the Middle East were cancelled or postponed.
Airlines rerouting around closed airspace are being forced to take longer paths, often south over Saudi Arabia, leading to delays and higher operating costs.
Kristy Ellmer, an American business traveller staying in Dubai, said she was keeping multiple bookings in place in anticipation of sudden changes.
“You hear a lot of explosions at times, there’s hundreds of them," Ellmer said. “And so when we hear them we sort of just don’t stay near the windows just in case the glass was to break or there was some impact,” Associated Press has quoted.
While she said she had growing confidence in local defences, uncertainty remains for thousands of passengers awaiting safe passage home as the regional crisis continues to unfold.
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