Thousands of Flights Cancelled Across Middle East Aviation Hubs in First Week of Hostilities

Air travel across the Middle East has faced severe disruption over the past week, with more than 19,000 flights cancelled across seven major regional airports between February 28 and March 6, according to aviation tracking data.

• •The disruption has stranded hundreds of thousands of travellers worldwide, as the affected airports normally handle some of the busiest long-haul transit routes globally.
• •Airports in Dubai, Doha, and Abu Dhabi serve as major connecting points for passengers travelling between Asia, Europe, and Africa.
• •Beyond passenger travel, the crisis has also disrupted air cargo networks and global supply chains that rely on Gulf hubs as key logistics gateways.

The cancellations have affected key Gulf aviation hubs including Dubai International (DXB), Hamad International in Doha (DOH), Abu Dhabi (AUH), Sharjah (SHJ), Kuwait International (KWI), Bahrain International (BAH), and Dubai World Central (DWC). These airports collectively serve as critical transit points linking Europe, Asia, and Africa.

Flight tracking figures indicate a sharp surge in cancellations at the start of the crisis. On February 28, more than 1,400 flights were cancelled. The disruption intensified over the following days, reaching over 3,400 cancellations on both March 1 and March 2, before gradually easing to around 3,000 flights on March 5. By March 6, cancellations had fallen to about 1,300 flights.

The aviation disruption follows a sudden escalation in regional tensions after United States and Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28, which triggered retaliatory missile and drone attacks across parts of the Gulf region. In response, several countries temporarily closed or restricted their airspace, forcing airlines to cancel or reroute thousands of flights.

Major Gulf carriers, including Emirates, Etihad Airways, and Qatar Airways, were among the airlines most affected as their home hubs experienced operational shutdowns or strict flight restrictions. Airspace closures across countries including the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, and Bahrain effectively halted large sections of international air traffic through the region.

Some cargo and repatriation flights have been permitted under special approvals, but most commercial schedules remain restricted.

Airlines have begun gradually restoring limited operations as security conditions stabilize and controlled air corridors reopen. However, aviation analysts warn that the ripple effects may continue for weeks due to aircraft repositioning challenges, crew scheduling disruptions, and the backlog of passengers awaiting rebooking.

While flight numbers have begun to recover slightly by March 6, industry observers say that the situation remains volatile and dependent on developments in the wider regional conflict.

Seven-Day Flight Cancellation Breakdown