What to do if flights through the Middle East are canceled?

Immediate steps to protect your trip and your rights

A wave of airspace closures and airline suspensions across the Middle East has caused widespread cancellations and reroutings. Tens of thousands of passengers have been affected because several Gulf hubs temporarily shut or reduced operations. That creates ripple effects for connections across Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas.

Practical steps to take now

• Contact the airline first: request rebooking, a refund, or a voucher. Airlines have been offering limited repatriation flights; insist on written confirmation of any offer.
• Hold on to expense receipts for hotels, meals, and transport in case you need to claim under insurance or request reimbursement from the carrier.
• Don’t automatically cancel and rebook through a new carrier without checking your rights. In many cases, airlines or regulators advise passengers not to cancel because doing so can forfeit protections and rebooking options.
• Check your travel insurance policy for coverage of strikes, war, or airspace closures. Policies differ widely on what’s covered and whether “acts of war” are excluded.
• Register with your embassy or sign up for your government’s traveler‑registration system so officials know you are in the country and can relay evacuation or assistance notices.

Why this matters

Major Gulf carriers and hubs are central to many long‑haul itineraries; when those hubs stop, there are fewer practical alternatives and prices for last‑minute routes can spike. Passengers who act quickly — documenting costs, working with the airline, and using official government resources — are in the best position to secure a refund, alternative routing, or compensation where rules apply.