Virgin Atlantic Joins Emirates, United, Air India, Air Arabia, Wizz, Flydubai and More Airlines in Facing Severe Travel Challenges with Flights Cancelled, Delays and Diverted Amid US–Israel–Iran Conflict

Published on February 28, 2026

By: Rana Pratap

Image generated with Ai

As flights are cancelled, delays increase, and planes are diverted due to the intensifying US-Israel-Iran crisis, Virgin Atlantic joins Emirates, United, Air India, Air Arabia, Wizz Air, Flydubai, and other carriers in experiencing significant travel difficulties. The cause is immediate and straightforward. Several Middle Eastern airspaces were closed within hours as a result of coordinated military attacks and escalating regional tensions, requiring airlines to halt operations, reroute long-haul flights, and ground departures at strategic hubs. Airlines such as Virgin Atlantic, Emirates, United, Air India, Air Arabia, Wizz Air, and Flydubai were forced to make real-time schedule adjustments when airspace above Iran, Iraq, and neighbouring Gulf states was shut down. Instead of being rare occurrences, flight cancellations, prolonged delays, and aircraft diversion became the operating standard. As a result, the US-Israel-Iran war has transcended geopolitics and entered the realm of aviation, causing tremendous pressure on international airline networks, intercontinental corridor disruptions, and passenger strandings.

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Regional Airspace Closures Trigger Aviation Shockwave Across the Middle East

The escalation of the US–Israel–Iran war has triggered one of the most severe airspace disruptions in recent Middle Eastern aviation history. Following joint strikes on Iran, multiple countries shut down their airspace with immediate effect. As of 9:55 UTC, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar closed their skies to civilian aircraft. Israeli airspace was shut until 1000 UTC. Doha and Bahrain also suspended traffic movements within their flight information regions, compressing one of the world’s busiest aviation corridors into a limited number of alternative pathways.

The result was immediate operational disruption. Aircraft already airborne exited Iranian airspace. Flights approaching Tel Aviv diverted mid-route. Long-haul services connecting Europe, Asia and North America recalculated routing in real time. What began as a geopolitical escalation quickly translated into a full-scale aviation crisis.

Dubai and Gulf Hubs Experience Immediate Slowdown

Dubai International Airport briefly halted departures for more than 30 minutes, while arrivals paused for over 10 minutes. The slowdown reflected airspace congestion rather than technical failure. Controllers were forced to resequence flights as neighbouring airspaces shut simultaneously.

Despite the pressure, aircraft continued operating under revised conditions. Eurowings flight EWG7CL from Dubai World Central to Berlin cruised at 28,025 feet aboard an Airbus A320-251N, with an estimated arrival of 16:28. Atlas Air flight GTI8319 from Hong Kong to Riyadh operated a Boeing 747-47UF at 32,000 feet, ETA 13:30.

Emirates flight UAE921 from Dubai to Cairo flew a Boeing 777-21HLR at 30,000 feet, ETA 15:28. Flynas flight KNE812 from Dubai to Dammam maintained 25,000 feet aboard an Airbus A320-251N, ETA 12:36. Virgin Atlantic flight VIR401V from Dubai to London Heathrow continued at 30,000 feet aboard an Airbus A350-1041, ETA 15:28. Sky Vision Airlines flight MSC502 from Sharjah to Cairo operated at 30,000 feet using an Airbus A320-232.

Flydubai flight FDB1449 from Dubai to Salzburg departed late at 09:29 instead of 09:05 local time and climbed to 35,000 feet, targeting a 13:32 CET arrival. Another Flydubai service, FDB8123 from Dubai to Yerevan, cruised at 31,000 feet with aircraft registration A6-FEQ.

Tel Aviv and Iranian Airspace Diversions Redefine Routes

Israeli airspace closure forced immediate diversions. Wizz Air flight WZZ2304J from Sofia to Tel Aviv diverted to Larnaca, operating an Airbus A321 at approximately 19,400 feet. A separate Wizz Air service, WZZ219R from Larnaca to Tel Aviv, remained airborne at similar altitude during restriction updates. Wizz Air flight WZZ2373 from Budapest to Amman continued under adjusted routing with an ETA of 10:36.

United Airlines flight UAL84 from Newark to Tel Aviv diverted to Athens aboard a Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner, ETA 10:02. UPS flight UPS264 from Cologne to Tel Aviv diverted to Rome while cruising at 36,025 feet. Flydubai flight FDB1549 from Dubai to Tel Aviv operated at 29,025 feet before restrictions intensified.

Iran’s closure compounded the crisis. Flydubai flight FZ984 from Kazan to Dubai diverted to Baku. Air India flight AI126 from Chicago to Delhi rerouted over Syria. Air Arabia flight G9950 from Sharjah to Moscow diverted over Pakistan. Emirates flight EK225 from Dubai to San Francisco adjusted routing via Afghanistan and Pakistan to avoid restricted airspace.

Emirates flight UAE21K from Dubai to Moscow operated at 37,000 feet with aircraft registration A6-EDM. Emirates flight UAE971 from Dubai to Tehran flew at 35,000 feet with registration A6-ECZ. Iran Air flight IRB9720 from Tehran to Moscow operated at 12,500 feet during transitional routing. Air Arabia flight ABY950 from Sharjah to Moscow maintained 35,000 feet, ETA 14:42.

The compression of airspace has forced aircraft into narrower corridors via Afghanistan, Pakistan and parts of the Mediterranean, increasing fuel burn and flight times.

Airspace Closures, Diversions and Active Flight Operations

346 Flights Cancelled and 525 Delayed as Thousands Stranded

Beyond rerouting, the cancellation and delay figures reveal the full scale of the disruption. Across the Middle East, 346 flights have been cancelled and 525 flights delayed. Thousands of passengers are stranded at major airports including Dubai, Jeddah, Doha, Istanbul and Fujairah.

Flydubai has recorded 55 cancellations and 63 delays. Saudia has cancelled 25 flights and delayed 19. Emirates has reported 14 cancellations and 69 delays. Royal Jordanian has recorded six cancellations and 11 delays. Gulf Air has reported three cancellations and 10 delays. Etihad Airways has faced one cancellation and 37 delays. Turkish Airlines has recorded 24 delays and one cancellation. Mahan Air has reported limited but notable disruption.

Jeddah King Abdulaziz International Airport, Doha Hamad International Airport and Istanbul Airport are facing significant operational congestion. Fujairah International Airport has absorbed secondary pressure from diverted services. Ground staff are processing rebookings as departure boards continue to shift.

Flight Cancellations and Delays Across the Middle East

Overall Regional Impact

Virgin Atlantic joins Emirates, United, Air India, Air Arabia, Wizz Air, Flydubai and more airlines facing severe travel challenges, with flights cancelled, delays and diverted amid the US–Israel–Iran conflict after sweeping airspace closures across Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and Israel.

A Regional Aviation Network Under Geopolitical Strain

The Middle East serves as a strategic aviation bridge linking Europe, Asia and North America. When multiple adjacent airspaces close at once, the network geometry shifts dramatically. Aircraft fly longer routes. Connections break down. Crew duty limits tighten. Costs escalate.

Virgin Atlantic now joins Emirates, United, Wizz Air, Air India, Air Arabia, Flydubai, Etihad, Gulf Air and Royal Jordanian in navigating severe travel disruption shaped by airspace closures, diversions and widespread cancellations.

As long as Iranian, Iraqi, Kuwaiti, Bahraini, Qatari and Israeli airspace restrictions remain in force, uncertainty will continue to define Middle Eastern aviation. Thousands remain stranded. Airlines continue rerouting in real time. The skies over the region remain volatile and operationally constrained.