GCC Air Travel Faces Third Day Of Shutdowns Arabian Post

(MENAFN- The Arabian Post) Arabian Post Staff -Dubai

Major airports across the Gulf and wider Middle East continued to experience widespread flight cancellations and operational standstills as the airspace turmoil triggered by intensified military strikes on Iran extended into Monday. Key civil aviation hubs, including Dubai International, Abu Dhabi's Zayed International and Doha's Hamad International, remained shut or under severe restrictions, disrupting global air traffic flows and stranding tens of thousands of travellers. The unprecedented aviation disruption coincides with retaliatory attacks following a U. S.-Israel offensive against Iranian targets, prompting extensive airspace closures in Gulf Cooperation Council states and neighbouring nations. Authorities and airlines have scrambled to cancel, reroute or suspend flights while urging passengers to check updated schedules and safety advisories.

The Gulf's pivotal position in global aviation means its airports form central links in intercontinental routes between Europe, Asia and Africa. With airspace over Iran, Iraq, Israel and several Gulf countries closed, scheduled services have collapsed where hubs normally handle thousands of flights weekly. Cirium, the aviation analytics firm, reported that substantial percentages of scheduled flights in the region were scrubbed over the weekend, with cancellations particularly heavy in the UAE, Qatar and Bahrain as carriers adhered to safety protocols amid hostile conditions. Airlines such as Emirates, Qatar Airways and Etihad Airways have suspended operations to and from their home hubs, forcing passengers to alter travel plans, seek alternative routes or await rebooking options.

Reports from GCC states indicate that the scale of disruption has eclipsed anything seen since the pandemic era. Dubai International, which typically manages over 1,000 daily flights, sustained damage during an attack and remains closed pending safety assessments and restoration work. Qatar's civil aviation authority confirmed that Hamad International will stay out of service until authorities deem Qatari airspace sufficiently secure. Meanwhile, flights at Kuwait International Airport have been grounded or diverted following hostile actions that inflicted minor damage and injured airport staff. The closures have not only affected passenger traffic but also cargo operations, compounding logistical challenges for global supply chains that rely on Gulf transit corridors.

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Passengers caught in the upheaval described chaotic conditions at terminals, with many airports seeing long queues at information counters and hotels filling up as travellers faced indefinite delays. Thousands of passengers heading to or from Europe, the Indian subcontinent and Africa have been impacted by the inability to transit through the Gulf's air routes, forcing carriers to plot lengthy alternate courses around restricted airspace. Some travellers have been forced to cancel journeys altogether as airlines extended suspension of services to destinations across West Asia, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and neighbouring regions.

Carriers outside the Gulf are taking precautionary measures ahead of further disruptions. Major international airlines, including several European and Asian carriers, have cancelled flights to and from Middle Eastern destinations or rerouted services to avoid the closed air corridors. India's flag carrier extended the suspension of its flights to West Asian and Gulf cities into Monday, citing the ongoing instability. Several Indian carriers also announced curtailments affecting routes to major GCC airports, signalling the wide geographic impact of the closures. Global airline alliances and civil aviation regulators have reiterated warnings about the heightened risk in the affected airspace, complicating efforts to restore regular flight schedules.

Industry analysts warn that the situation could have lasting repercussions for aviation markets. Airspace closure not only leads to immediate cancellations but drives up operating costs as airlines must use longer, less efficient routes and face steep insurance and war-risk premiums. With alternative corridors limited by existing geopolitical tensions, including the ongoing conflict in Ukraine that has already restricted Russian airspace to many carriers, the compounded pressure on global route networks risks higher ticket prices, reduced capacity and prolonged delays. Freight operators, dependent on Gulf hubs for cargo links, are also grappling with deteriorating service reliability.

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