Airlines serving the Middle East suspended or rerouted services on Saturday after the United States and Israel carried out strikes on targets inside Iran. Major carriers including British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and Wizz Air reduced schedules to destinations across the Gulf, citing safety and airspace closures. The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) urged British nationals in Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait and the UAE to shelter in place as explosions and air‑raid alerts were reported. International flight tracking showed traffic diverting around the region and several Gulf airspaces temporarily closed.
Key Takeaways
- Multiple carriers — British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Wizz Air, Qatar Airways and Emirates — announced temporary suspensions or route changes affecting Tel Aviv, Bahrain, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha and Amman.
- British Airways cancelled services to Tel Aviv and Bahrain until Wednesday and to Amman on Saturday; Wizz Air suspended flights to/from Israel, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Amman through next Saturday.
- Qatari and Iranian airspace closures and missile activity forced diversions, causing delays and longer routings that affect both passenger and cargo schedules.
- The UK government convened a Cobra meeting chaired by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer; officials said consular assistance is being prioritised for UK nationals in the region.
- Passengers experienced long waits: one group reported being held on a Heathrow tarmac for more than three hours before a later flight disruption was attributed to volatility in the region.
- Qatar and the UAE reported intercepting missiles; footage circulated online suggested a US facility in Bahrain sustained a strike, though independent verification is limited.
Background
The strikes on Iran by US and Israeli forces marked a significant escalation in a long‑running confrontation over Iran’s nuclear programme and regional influence. Officials in Washington framed the action as a response to failures in negotiations and, according to reporting, as part of a push for regime pressure. Iran was accused of mounting retaliatory strikes on Israel and on facilities hosting US personnel in the region, which local authorities say resulted in civilian casualties.
Commercial aviation has been periodically disrupted by regional military activity in past years; airlines and regulators treat the safety of overflight corridors as a top priority. Gulf states host major international hubs and large numbers of transit passengers, so temporary airspace closures ripple across global schedules. Governments, carriers and air traffic management organisations routinely adjust routes and issue travel advisories when strikes, missile launches or missile interceptions are reported.
Main Event
On Saturday airlines announced stepped‑up service suspensions and reroutings. British Airways said it would cancel flights to Tel Aviv and Bahrain until Wednesday and suspend an Amman service for Saturday; Virgin Atlantic cancelled at least one Heathrow–Dubai service and warned that flights to India, Saudi Arabia and the Maldives could take longer due to rerouting. Wizz Air stopped services to and from Israel, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Amman through next Saturday, citing security and airspace restrictions.
Qatar Airways confirmed a temporary suspension of flights to and from Doha after Qatari airspace was closed, while Emirates said it was pausing services to and from Dubai. Flight tracking services showed long‑range international routes bending south of the affected airspace, and some flights were turned back or diverted mid‑journey. One Heathrow–Doha flight that returned to the airport was later determined to have had a technical fault unrelated to the military action; passengers on other services reported lengthy waits as airlines reviewed options.
On the ground, UK consular guidance was updated: the FCDO advised British nationals in Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait and the UAE to shelter in place. Additional guidance told UK travellers in Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Oman to remain vigilant. Local reports said Qatar’s defence ministry intercepted missiles and the UAE reported interceptions as well; footage circulating online purported to show damage at a US facility in Bahrain.
Analysis & Implications
For airlines, the immediate effect is operational: closed airspace forces longer routings that increase flight time, fuel burn and costs. Carriers may reroute over longer corridors while insurance underwriters and aviation regulators reassess risk levels for specific airspaces. The rerouting of traffic through alternative corridors will also increase congestion at neighbouring flight information regions and could cascade into delays far beyond the Gulf.
Diplomatically, strikes and cross‑border retaliations raise the risk of wider escalation involving regional partners and states hosting foreign forces. Governments face dual pressures: protect citizens and personnel while avoiding actions that further destabilise the theatre. The FCDO’s shelter‑in‑place guidance and the UK Cobra meeting reflect that London is prioritising immediate safety and contingency planning for nationals and defence assets.
Economically, disruption to Gulf aviation affects air freight routes and hub connectivity; longer flights and capacity reductions can raise cargo costs and delay time‑sensitive goods. Major Gulf hubs such as Dubai and Doha are critical nodes for passenger transfer traffic; prolonged suspensions would hit tourism and business travel and may prompt longer‑term network realignments by carriers seeking reliably open airspace.
Comparison & Data
| Airline | Regions affected | Action / Duration |
|---|---|---|
| British Airways | Tel Aviv, Bahrain, Amman | Cancel Tel Aviv & Bahrain until Wed; Amman cancelled on Sat |
| Virgin Atlantic | Dubai, India routes, Saudi, Maldives | Cancelled Heathrow–Dubai; warned of longer routings |
| Wizz Air | Israel, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Amman | Suspended through next Saturday |
| Qatar Airways | Doha (Qatar airspace) | Temporary suspension due to airspace closure |
| Emirates | Dubai | Temporarily stopped services to/from Dubai |
The table summarises carrier responses reported on Saturday. These measures reflect a combination of declared airspace closures, threat assessments by carriers and civil aviation authorities, and practical route management. Flight cancellations and suspensions are time‑limited in most public statements, but extensions will depend on security assessments and diplomatic developments.
Reactions & Quotes
Passengers stranded or delayed described confusion and anxiety as schedules were adjusted. One traveller at Heathrow described being held on the tarmac for hours before a late announcement from crew about suspensions, emphasising the uncertainty faced by holidaymakers and business travellers alike.
“We got on the plane and were literally about to taxi when the pilot said: ‘We have some bad news – we’re not going anywhere.’ We then sat on the plane on the tarmac for over three hours.”
Sarah Short, passenger
Another witness in Doha described air‑raid alerts and intercepted missiles, noting visible vapour trails and multiple thuds in the capital that heightened public alarm. Local defence ministries reported missile interceptions amid the wider exchange of strikes and retaliations.
“We heard a bit of a thud and felt a tremor… we saw a number of people moving quickly out of the shopping centre.”
John Henry, holidaymaker
Government spokespeople stressed consular support and contingency planning as immediate priorities, framing actions as protective rather than escalatory. Officials said resources would be mobilised for affected nationals and that assessments were ongoing.
“Our immediate priority is the safety of UK nationals in the region and we will provide them with consular assistance.”
UK government spokesperson
Unconfirmed
- Independent verification of the total number of civilian casualties from strikes across the region remains pending; official casualty figures have not been consolidated at this time.
- Some online footage that purports to show a strike on a US facility in Bahrain has not been independently authenticated in open sources.
- Attribution of every reported explosion and impact to a single responsible actor is incomplete; investigations and official statements are still emerging.
Bottom Line
The strikes and subsequent warnings prompted immediate operational responses by airlines and civil authorities, temporarily severing or rerouting key Gulf air links. For travellers, the near‑term priority is following official travel advice and airline communications; for carriers, the focus is on safe rerouting and contingency capacity to limit wider disruption.
Beyond the immediate aviation impact, the incident raises risks of broader regional escalation with diplomatic and economic consequences. Travelers and businesses dependent on Gulf hubs should expect continued volatility in schedules while governments assess security and negotiate de‑escalatory steps.
Sources
- BBC News (news report summarising airline actions and regional developments)
- Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (official travel advice and consular guidance)
- Reuters (news organisation reporting on flight diversions and regional responses)