Middle East Travel Updates: Flight Cancellations & Routes

Asia Travel Updates: Flights, Refunds & Safe Routes

Last updated: 8th April, 2026

Daily travel updates on airline cancellations, rebooking options and safe alternative routes for travellers affected by airspace closures across the Middle East and Gulf region.

Current Situation:

The UK Foreign Office has travel alerts in place for countries across the Gulf.

Travel updates for all countries can be found on the UK Foreign Office Travel Advice website.

Do not travel to the airport unless your flight has been confirmed as operating by your airline.

Airline Updates:

Emirates

Last website update: 3rd April, 2026

Emirates are operating a reduced flight schedule. You can check their current flight schedules here: https://www.emirates.com/english/book/current-schedule/

Customers booked to travel between 28 February, until and including 30 April can rebook on an alternate flight, or request a full refund through the Emirates website. If you have booked through a travel agent you will have to contact them directly.

Anyone who has booked flights from 2nd April will be offered one complimentary date change, across all cabins.

• Emirates Travel Updates
• Official Emirates X Account

Qatar Airways

Last website update: 1st April, 2026

Qatar Airways have published their revised flight schedule until 15th June here: https://www.qatarairways.com/en/rebooking-options.html#flightschedule

Passengers are asked not to arrive at their departure airport unless they hold a valid, confirmed ticket for travel.

If you have a confirmed booking with a travel date between 28 February and 22 March 2026, you are eligible for either two rebookings or a full refund of unused travel.

• Qatar Travel Updates

Etihad

Website current as of: 8th April, 2026

Etihad are operating a phased resumption of their flight schedule.

From 16 April 2026, customers holding tickets for an Etihad flight that has been cancelled, may request a refund or rebook free of charge onto Etihad flights up to 15 June 2026.

• Etihad Travel Updates
• Official Etihad X Account

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it safe to fly through Dubai right now?

Travel alerts are currently in place for the Gulf region. If you are due to travel to or through Dubai, check with your airline or travel agent about rebooking options first. If you are already travelling, your airline will advise on accommodation and rebooking. Follow the Dubai Airport X account for live updates.

Is Dubai Airport open?

Dubai International (DXB) and Dubai World Central (DWC) airports have been open since 7th March and are operating limited flights. Do not travel to DXB or DWC unless your airline has confirmed your flight is operating.

Which airlines have cancelled flights between the UK and Asia?

Major carriers including Emirates, Qatar Airways and Etihad have suspended or reduced operations due to airspace closures over Iran, Iraq and the UAE. Western airlines like British Airways, Lufthansa and Air France have also cancelled or rerouted services.

If you are flying between the UK and Asia, expect significant delays or cancellations. If you are looking to book for travel soon, you may wish to wait due to rebooking spikes and dynamic pricing.

What are the safest alternative routes between the UK and Asia?

To avoid the Middle East conflict area entirely, look for flights that transit through Singapore (SIN), Hong Kong (HKG) or Tokyo (HND). These routes fly over Central Asia or the Pacific and are currently unaffected by the closures in the Persian Gulf. Chinese airlines also offer routes over Russian airspace.

Can I get a refund if my flight is cancelled due to the conflict?

Under UK/EU 261 regulations, if your flight departs from a UK or EU airport, the airline must offer you a choice between a full refund or re-routing to your final destination at the earliest opportunity. However, because this is classified as an extraordinary circumstance, you are generally not entitled to additional cash compensation for the delay itself.

Will my travel insurance cover cancellations caused by war or conflict?

Most standard travel insurance policies include a war and civil unrest exclusion clause and may not cover cancellations caused directly by military conflict. However, if your policy includes scheduled airline failure or airspace closure coverage, you may be able to claim for out-of-pocket expenses. Always check your specific policy summary for force majeure terms.

Official Government Travel Advice

Each country has its own official government travel advice portal. The most popular are listed below. You can find yours by searching for your country name followed by "travel advice".

• Australia -- Smartraveller
• Ireland -- Department of Foreign Affairs
• UK -- Foreign Travel Advice
• USA -- Travel.state.gov

Have an update or questions? Comment below.