Iran strikes trigger flight cancellations and global travel warnings

Massive cancellations of flights and travel warnings have spread through the world aviation following US and Israeli military attacks on Iran on 28 February 2026, as reported by Reuters. This has led to retaliation by Tehran and the shutdown of airspace in major regions of the Middle East. Airspace restrictions above Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and the UAE led to the cancellation or suspension of hundreds of flights, and tens of thousands of passengers were left stuck. Airlines such as Emirates, Etihad, Qatar Airways, Air India, and IndiGo, among others, have either stopped flying into the region or shifted their routes through other routes, as they grapple with the changing safety situation and changing regulatory notices.

Widespread Cancellations Amid Airspace Closures

The Times of India reported that more than 700 flights around the world were cancelled due to departures and arrivals in the Middle East and South Asia as airlines reviewed routes and safety measures to ensure passengers are safe. Governmental information released by the Indian Civil Aviation Ministry had suggested that over 410 flights by Indian airlines alone were cancelled on February 28, because of the airspace restriction in some areas within the Middle East. Indian carriers have verified flight cancellations and schedule changes. Air India extended the suspension of flights to and from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Israel, and Qatar on March 2. IndiGo, Akasa Air, and SpiceJet have canceled or suspended flights, respectively, on West Asia routes. As per the Times of India reports, regional flights like the Chennai and Lucknow flights to the Middle East were also cancelled, and at least 15 flights of Chennai were cancelled as the crisis deepened. Amid the disruptions, UAE authorities have announced having helped more than 20,000 passengers in terms of accommodation and rebooking, which highlights the human impact of the airspace restrictions.

Administrative Responses and Travel Advisories

In response to the crisis, governments and aviation authorities have issued urgent travel warnings and high-alert directives. The Ministry of Civil Aviation in India organized a high-level preparedness exercise and coordination with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Airports Authority of India, to control the disruption of flights, ground handling, staff allocation, immigration, and passenger services. The passengers were encouraged to be in constant touch with the airlines in order to get updated status. From a regulatory perspective, airlines are adjusting operations in real time, rerouting flights around closed FIRs (Flight Information Regions) and recalibrating schedules to prioritise safety and compliance with NOTAMs and civil aviation directives issued by affected states.

Flight Disruption Snapshot

Navigating Risk and Uncertainty

According to aviation analyst Richard Aboulafia, Managing Director at AeroDynamic Advisory: The current disruption could be viewed as one of the most impactful geopolitically-related airspace shutdowns since the COVID-19 crisis that required airlines to reconcile short-term safety requirements with long-term network sustainability. Diversion of widebody aircraft due to the narrow Middle Eastern flight paths is contributing to 60–90 minutes of additional flight period on some Europe-Asia routes, which are significant contributions to fuel consumption, crew duty expenditure, and passenger carrying capacity. Having cancelled more than 700 flights worldwide on one day, the ripple effect of the stress on operations is seen through hubs, fleet rotations, and aircraft utilisation cycles. In addition to the short-term cancellations, extended airspace shutdowns could upset the economics of overflights, insurance costs, and the timeliness of transcontinental carriers. To Indian airlines, which have been developing Gulf connectivity as a large portion of international capacity, any long-term disruption would squeeze the margins that are already sensitive to fuel volatility.

Snapshot Overview