Qatar Airways Joins Emirates, British Airways, Air New Zealand, Qantas And SAS As Routes To UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, Lebanon, France, Netherlands, Australia U.S, Canada Gets Affected Amidst Conflict In The Middle East, Leaving Thousands Of Passengers Stranded And Waiting

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A sudden storm over the Middle East has turned one of the world’s busiest aviation corridors into a conflict zone, sending shockwaves through global travel and sharply driving up airfares for millions of passengers. As US–Israeli strikes on Iran and subsequent retaliation have prompted widespread airspace closures over Iran, Iraq, Jordan, and parts of the Gulf, airlines have scrambled to cancel flights, reroute long‑haul services, and add fuel surcharges that are now reshaping the cost and convenience of international journeys. Governments from the US to India and the UK have issued strong warnings or “depart now” advisories for multiple Middle Eastern countries, underlining that what began as a regional conflict is now a global travel crisis touching itineraries from London to Sydney and Mumbai to New York.

Airlines bearing the brunt of the Gulf conflict

Air India and Air India Express

India’s flag carrier has been one of the first to formally respond with a structured fuel surcharge, directly citing the Gulf crisis and elevated aviation turbine fuel prices. Following safety advisories from India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to avoid 11 high‑risk Middle East and Persian Gulf airspaces, Air India has temporarily cancelled some Middle East flights and adjusted routings on others, while rolling out new surcharges across domestic and international sectors.

Key affected flows include:

• India–Gulf routes: From cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Kochi, Hyderabad, and Bengaluru to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Doha, Jeddah, Riyadh, Dammam, and Kuwait City, which are now subject to added fuel charges and in some cases temporary suspensions or consolidations.
• India–Europe/US routes: Flights to London, Frankfurt, Paris, and New York are operating on longer routings to skirt conflict‑affected airspaces, increasing flight times and fuel burn and feeding into the carrier’s broader surcharge strategy.

Emirates

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Based in Dubai, one of the world’s busiest international hubs, Emirates sits at the epicentre of the disruption. UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) guidance notes that operations through Dubai (DXB), Abu Dhabi (AUH), and Doha (DOH) have been heavily curtailed after airspace closures over Iran, Iraq, and Jordan, with Emirates suspending many regional services and operating a reduced long‑haul schedule via constrained corridors.

For Emirates passengers, this has meant:

• Suspensions and major disruptions on routes to and from high‑risk points in Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Israel, and potentially secondary Gulf airports.
• Extended flight times and potential fare pressure on trunk routes from Dubai to London, Paris, Frankfurt, New York, Sydney, and Johannesburg as aircraft are rerouted and fuel costs climb.

Qatar Airways

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Qatar Airways, operating from Doha’s Hamad International Airport, has similarly faced direct operational stress from regional airspace closures and heightened threat levels. FCDO alerts list Qatar among the countries now under “against all but essential travel” advice for UK travellers, with significant implications for Doha’s role as a transit hub.

Qatar Airways has:

• Scaled back or suspended services to certain conflict‑zone neighbours and re‑profiling flight paths that previously traversed Iranian and Iraqi airspace.
• Confronted higher operating costs on long‑haul routes linking Doha with cities such as London, Manchester, Paris, Rome, New York, Chicago, and Melbourne, where fare levels are expected to reflect the fuel and insurance premium spike.

British Airways

The FCDO’s severe warnings and the heavy disruption at Gulf hubs have pushed British Airways to suspend most regional services into the core conflict‑adjacent zone, including flights that feed into or overfly the Gulf. BA’s network has been affected in several ways:​

• Suspension or curtailment of services into high‑risk Middle East destinations, alongside reduced frequencies into Gulf hubs under intense operational constraint.
• Knock‑on effects on connecting itineraries for UK passengers transiting the Gulf en route to India, Southeast Asia, and Australasia, resulting in rerouting via alternative hubs and likely higher fares on the remaining options.

Air New Zealand

Far from the Gulf, Air New Zealand has signalled that the Middle East conflict is nevertheless impacting its fuel bill and ticket prices. With global oil and jet fuel markets roiled by the conflict and possible disruption around the Strait of Hormuz, the carrier has warned of fare increases on its long‑haul network out of Auckland, including services to North America and Europe (often via partner hubs).

These include:

• Auckland–Los Angeles, Auckland–New York, and onward connections to major European cities, where fuel surcharges and base fare adjustments may appear as the conflict‑driven price shock filters through.
• Regional and trans‑Tasman routes that, while not flying anywhere near the Gulf, still face indirect pressure as jet fuel costs rise globally.

Qantas and SAS

Australian flag carrier Qantas and Scandinavian airline SAS have both acknowledged that the Gulf‑sparked fuel surge is forcing them to lift fares and review certain long‑haul routings.

• Qantas has pointed to increased operating costs on long‑haul routes, particularly those that historically benefitted from efficient great‑circle paths intersecting with Middle Eastern airspace or codeshare options through the region, affecting journeys between Australia and Europe or Africa.
• SAS has highlighted higher fuel costs and rerouting implications for Scandinavia–Asia and Scandinavia–Middle East itineraries, where detours around unsafe skies can add hours and significantly more fuel per leg.

How passengers are feeling the strain daily

For travellers, this crisis is not just a matter of higher prices on a fare display; it is a daily grind of uncertainty, rebooking, and rerouting. With DGCA in India advising airlines to avoid 11 specific Middle Eastern and Persian Gulf airspaces, and Western governments warning citizens to leave or avoid over a dozen regional countries, schedules that once looked predictable have turned fluid almost overnight.

Passengers are facing:

• Last‑minute cancellations and diversions as NOTAMs and airspace closures are updated in real time, forcing aircraft to turn back or divert via alternate airports.
• Longer flight times and missed connections because rerouted flights must arc around hazardous zones, stretching block times and thinning connection windows at hubs like Dubai, Doha, and Abu Dhabi.
• Higher out‑of‑pocket costs, from new fuel surcharges to hotel stays and visa changes when itineraries unravel, particularly for journeys that had relied on Gulf hubs as convenient one‑stop links between Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australasia.

For business travellers, this means rearranged meetings, delayed cargo, and the loss of same‑day connections that Gulf carriers once made routine; for leisure travellers, it may mean holidays postponed or re‑routed, with some governments now advising that “the safest place to be might just be at home” until the situation stabilises.

Key affected cities and what travellers miss when they cannot go

Even amid conflict, many of the cities affected by airspace closures and severe travel warnings remain, in normal times, some of the world’s most compelling destinations. Once conditions are under control and advisories ease, global travellers will again look to these hubs for culture, commerce, and tourism.

Below are major cities impacted today—and what they typically offer in calmer times:

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Dubai International Airport (DXB) has seen operations “grind to a halt” or sharply reduce at various points in early March, as surrounding airspaces closed and nearby countries moved to higher alert levels. Under normal circumstances, Dubai offers:

• Iconic attractions such as Burj Khalifa, Dubai Mall, and the Palm Jumeirah, drawing leisure visitors and stopover tourists from every continent.
• Rich shopping, desert safaris, and a rapidly growing cultural scene around Dubai Creek and Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood, making it a favourite short‑break and transit destination.

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Abu Dhabi’s status as a key regional hub has also been compromised by regional risk and flight disruptions, with severe FCDO advice encompassing the UAE as a whole. In peaceful times, visitors can expect:

• Architectural and spiritual marvels such as the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque and the Louvre Abu Dhabi.
• Family‑friendly attractions on Yas Island, including theme parks and waterfront promenades that support a thriving leisure tourism sector.

Doha, Qatar

Doha’s Hamad International Airport is central to Qatar Airways’ global network and has been affected by regional airspace closures and strong foreign travel warnings. When the situation is stable, travellers enjoy:

• The striking waterfront Corniche and the Museum of Islamic Art, combining modern architecture with deep cultural collections.
• The bustling Souq Waqif and rapidly developing West Bay skyline, positioning Doha as both a stopover favourite and a conference hub.

Riyadh and Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Saudi airspace, including the Jeddah Flight Information Region, has been tagged in Indian and European advisories as an area requiring heightened caution and potential avoidance by civil aviation. In normal times:

• Riyadh offers a mix of modern towers and heritage sites such as the old Diriyah area, forming a gateway to Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 tourism transformation.
• Jeddah provides access to the Red Sea coastline, the historic Al‑Balad district, and serves as a key entry point for religious travellers heading to Makkah and Madinah.

Kuwait City, Kuwait; Manama, Bahrain; Muscat, Oman

Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman all feature in lists of countries subject to upgraded travel warnings and airspace risk, prompting operators to tread cautiously in their respective Flight Information Regions. In more settled times:

• Kuwait City blends a modern seafront skyline with museums that tell the country’s maritime and oil‑era story.
• Manama, Bahrain, offers a historic souq, the Bahrain Fort, and a growing status as a weekend getaway for Gulf residents.
• Muscat captivates visitors with its dramatic mountains‑meets‑sea setting, the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, and traditional souqs, acting as a relaxed gateway to Oman’s wadis and deserts.

Tehran, Iran; Baghdad, Iraq; Amman, Jordan; Beirut, Lebanon

The DGCA and European conflict‑zone bulletins specifically flag the Flight Information Regions over Tehran, Baghdad, Amman, and Beirut as high‑risk for civil overflight. Yet in calmer periods these cities are major cultural highlights:

• Tehran offers museums like the National Museum of Iran and vibrant bazaars, along with access to the Alborz Mountains.
• Baghdad, with its Tigris riverfront, historic sites, and book markets, is central to the region’s deep civilisational history.
• Amman provides Roman ruins at the Citadel and Theatre, and is a base for world‑famous excursions to Petra and the Dead Sea.
• Beirut combines Mediterranean beaches, nightlife, and archaeological sites, long earning it a reputation as a cosmopolitan crossroads.

Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, Israel

Israel’s airspace and major cities sit at the heart of the current confrontation, with US and allied advisories emphasising severe security risks. In non‑crisis times:

• Tel Aviv offers beaches, Bauhaus architecture, and a thriving tech and culinary scene.
• Jerusalem draws pilgrims and tourists to sites sacred to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, including the Old City, Western Wall, Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and Al‑Aqsa compound.

What travelers should do now: safety and smart planning

Given the fluid and serious nature of the conflict, official guidance from governments and aviation regulators is remarkably aligned: exercise extreme caution, reconsider non‑essential travel to the affected region, and expect disruption even on routes that merely overfly the Middle East.

Practical steps for travellers include:

• Check government advisories before booking: Refer to your national foreign office or equivalent (for example, the US Department of State’s advisories, the UK FCDO travel advice, or your home country’s Ministry of External Affairs) for up‑to‑date guidance on each destination and transit point.
• Monitor airline and regulator updates: Follow your airline’s alerts and notices from authorities like India’s DGCA, which are issuing guidance on which airspaces carriers should avoid and how long such restrictions remain in place.
• Build flexibility into itineraries: Allow longer layovers, avoid tight self‑connects, and prefer tickets on a single carrier or alliance so that rebookings are smoother if a leg is cancelled or rerouted.
• Consider alternative routes and hubs: Where possible, route through less affected regions—such as Europe via non‑Gulf hubs, or Asia‑Pacific hubs like Singapore and Bangkok—while still heeding all official security advisories.
• Prioritize comprehensive travel insurance: Ensure policies explicitly cover conflict‑related disruptions, medical emergencies, evacuation, and trip cancellations, which many standard products may exclude unless conflict clauses are addressed.​

Most importantly, travellers should remember that safety comes before convenience. Government notices urging citizens to “depart now” from high‑risk countries, and worldwide cautions stressing that Americans and other nationals may face sudden airspace closures, are clear signals that this is not business as usual in the skies. By staying informed through verified official channels, remaining flexible with plans, and following airline and regulator guidance, travellers can position themselves for smoother, safer journeys once the Gulf’s skies are calmer again.