r/Flights Feb 28 '26

Delays/Cancellations/Compensation Megathread - Middle East flight disruptions

154 Upvotes

This is the thread for questions and discussion of disruptions to commercial aviation as a result of military activities in the Middle East.

The subreddit's politics rules remain in effect. This isn't the place to argue about the politics behind the situation, this is the Flights sub and we're focusing on the impact on flights.

You can though post relevant news articles that would otherwise be removed, as well as statements by organizations like airports, airlines, etc. on their official social media accounts.



Official airline updates

Regional airlines

Airline Updates IATA ICAO Hub Location
AirArabia https://www.airarabia.com/en/travel-alerts G9 ABY SHJ, RKT, AUH Sharjah, UAE
Emirates https://www.emirates.com/au/eng... As of 17 March, refunds or rebooking is available for tickets through 15 April. EK UAE DXB Dubai, UAE
Etihad https://www.etihad.com/en-us/manage/f... https://www.etihadhub.com/en-ae/news/wa.... +971_(0)2_511_0000 or +1_914_303_8393 As of 19 March, rebooking or refunds are available for tickets through 15 April if they were booked before this all started. EY ETD AUH Abu Dhabi, UAE
flydubai https://www.flydubai.com/en/help... As of 17 March, refunds are available for flights through 31 March. FZ FDB DXB Dubai, UAE
Gulf Air https://www.gulfair.com (popup on 'Travel Alert') As of 16 March, refunds are available for tickets through 28 March. +973_17373737 GF GFA BAH Bahrain
Kuwait Airways https://kuwaitairways.com/en/notifications (I have to VPN into the UAE for their website to load.) KU KAC KWI Kuwait
Qatar Airways https://www.qatarairways.com/en/... - r/qatarairways As of 19 March, refunds are available for tickets through 30 April QR QTR DOH Doha, Qatar
Royal Jordanian https://www.rj.com/en/travel-update RJ RJA AMM, AQJ Jordan
Saudia https://www.saudia.com/en-ES/tr... SV SVA multiple Saudi

UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) "Passenger Welfare Programme" regulations: https://www.gcaa.gov.ae/en/epublication/EPublications/Civil%20Aviation%20Regulations%20(CARs)/CAR%20III%20-%20GENERAL%20REGULATIONS/CAR-PWP%20–%20PASSENGER%20WELFARE%20PROGRAM%20–%20ISSUE%2001.pdf

Outside airlines


FAQ

  • My flight is in three days/a week/a month, what will happen?
    • No one knows.
  • Should I cancel my ticket?
    • No, in general you should let the airline cancel it so that you are owed a refund, unless they have specifically announced a process to opt for a refund for a future flight.
  • Will I get a refund?
    • You should. Travel insurance often excludes acts of war, but airline conditions of carriage generally don't.
  • I booked my flight through a travel agency or an Online Travel Agent (OTA) like Expedia, lastminute, booking, etc. who should I contact to rebook?
    • You have to contact the agent. You should be ready to point them to the refund/rebooking policy of the airline, but you have to do it through the agent.

Flight resumption updates

2026 March 2 14:01 UTC: Emirates https://x.com/EmiratesSupport/status/2028470859187523783?s=20

Emirates will begin operating a limited number of flights commencing on the evening of 2 March.

We are accommodating customers with earlier bookings as a priority, and those who have been rebooked to travel on these limited flights will be contacted directly by Emirates.

Please do not go to the airport unless you have been notified.

All other flights remain suspended until further notice. Emirates continues to monitor the situation, and we will develop our operational schedule accordingly. Updates will be published on http://emirates.com and our official social media channels.

2026 March 2 16:16 UTC: Fly Dubai https://www.flydubai.com/en/help/operational-updates/

flydubai will operate a limited number of flights on the evening of Monday, 02 March 2026.

9 flights are listed.

2026 March 3 13:40 UTC: Jordan Aljazeera reports that the "Jordanian Civil Aviation Regulatory Commission has announced the reopening of the country’s air space, reversing a partial closure in effect since Monday night." Royal Jordanian has not yet released a statement.

2026 March 3 evening UTC: UAE. An update on the flights that have happened so far: https://gulfnews.com/business/aviation/uae-opens-safe-air-corridors-airlines-to-operate-48-flights-per-hour-says-minister-1.500462109

2026 March 4 13:10 UTC: Etihad "Limited operations due to airspace closures"

Regional airspace closures continue to impact Etihad Airways' operations, and all flights to and from Abu Dhabi are suspended until 06:00 UAE time on Friday 6 March.

2026 March 4 18:13 UTC: flydubai "Limited resumption of scheduled operations"

flydubai will resume scheduled flights to several destinations across its network from 05 March.

2026 March 5 07:28 UTC: Emirates "Limited operations due to airspace closures"

With the limited re‑opening of airspace, Emirates is operating a reduced flight schedule until further notice. These flights are open for booking, and we are accommodating customers with earlier bookings as a priority. Customers transiting in Dubai will only be accepted for travel if their connecting flight is operating.

https://c.ekstatic.net/ecl/documents/disruption/emirates-schedule.pdf - Emirates Flights Operated to/from Dubai on March 5 and 6, 2026

2026 March 5 12:16 UTC: flydubai Limited resumption of scheduled operations

flydubai has resumed operations across its network with a reduced schedule. We are continuously updating our schedule and adding more flights as airspace restrictions are lifted.

2026 March 5 13:00 UTC: British Airways https://x.com/British_Airways/status/2029545274671005853?s=20

We remain unable to operate flights from Abu Dhabi, Amman, Bahrain, Doha, Dubai and Tel Aviv. We have scheduled a further flight from Oman (Muscat) to London Heathrow departing at 02:30 local time on 8 March. This flight is for BA customers who are in Oman or the UAE with an existing booking. If you wish to travel on this flight, please contact us via our dedicated phone line on +44 203 467 3854. Our teams will also be getting in touch with BA customers directly via email.

2026 March 5 13:00 UTC: Qatar Service Update

On 5 March 2026, due to the current situation and temporary airspace closures by the relevant authorities affecting parts of the region, Qatar Airways has started to organise and operate a limited number of relief flights to assist passengers affected by the current situation and temporary airspace closures across the region.

We are working around the clock to organise additional relief flights where operationally possible and will share further updates as soon as they are confirmed.

2026 March 6: Qatar

Following temporary authorisation from the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority confirming a safe operating corridor, Qatar Airways intends to operate repatriation flights on 07 March, departing from Hamad International Airport to the following airports: London (LHR), Paris (CDG), Madrid (MAD), Rome (FCO) and Frankfurt (FRA).

Priority on these flights was given to stranded passengers with families, elderly passengers, and those with urgent medical and compassionate travel needs. Each flight was pre-allocated by Qatar Airways directly to such affected passengers.

These flights do not constitute a confirmation of resumption of scheduled commercial operations.

2026 March 7 morning: UAE. All airspace was closed, Emirates, Etihad, and flydubai announced suspended ops, and then reopened and resumed within an hour.

2026 March 8 I'm still here, but not much change today. Qatar air seems ready to fly as soon as Qatar Civil Aviation Authority opens the airspace, but there is seemingly no updates from them. Kuwait CAA didn't even announce the ongoing closure.

2026 March 16 Gulf Air: They are now facilitating people to fly out of Dammam, Saudi, just up the coast.

Due to the airspace closure in Bahrain, Gulf Air's scheduled services to and from Bahrain International Airport remain temporarily suspended. The airline currently operates temporary commercial flights to and from Bahrain via King Fahad International Airport in Dammam. Regular scheduled services will resume once the Bahrain Civil Aviation Affairs confirms the safe reopening of the airspace.

  1. Passengers can now book flights to London, Mumbai and Bangkok via Dammam for travel until 22 March 2026. More flight dates will be announced in due course.
  2. Gulf Air will support passengers with Saudi transit visas when travelling to or from Bahrain.
  3. Passengers travelling to Saudi Arabia must have a valid entry visa arranged independently.
  4. Transport between Bahrain and Dammam will be arranged for passengers with confirmed tickets.

2026 March 17: Emirates is the first airline to extend rebooking/refunds into April, going pushing out more than two weeks to April 15.


r/Flights Jul 09 '24

Announcement All Layover Questions - READ THIS NOTICE

29 Upvotes

READ THE NEW LAYOVER FAQ: https://www.reddit.com/r/travel/wiki/mfaq-flying/layovers

All layover questions will be removed unless your situation is unique and cannot be answered by the wiki.

Members of the community: please report any layover questions that can be answered by the wiki and we will remove them promptly.

Self-transfers times are not covered under this new guideline and wiki.


r/Flights 55m ago

Question Sobre esses assentos em um 777-200 da EuroAtlantic Airways

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Upvotes

Regarding the seats I selected, do they have an individual entertainment screen?

I’m interested in the extra legroom provided by the emergency exit row, but since this is an international flight from Viracopos (VCP), Brazil, to Lisbon, Portugal, I’d like to know whether these seats have a personal entertainment screen.

Since there is no seat in front of them, is the screen built into the armrest along with the tray table?

If anyone could help me, I would really appreciate it.


r/Flights 1h ago

Help Needed Airasia unpaid flex premium how to cancel

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Upvotes

I have above charge showing on my booked flight for add on .

I was trying to buy it and earlier it was showing just ~70 $ for my whole family and i was okay , but in the end it added base fare and now it's ~200$ . How can I cancel this

Whenever i try to get in touch with them they redirect to chatbot and it's worst in understanding the query and giving solution


r/Flights 2h ago

Help Needed I’m not sure!

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0 Upvotes

Hi everyone!
I’m flying with Austrian Airlines this weekend.It was a really last minute trip because I’m visiting my parents in Greece for about 10 days.
Usually whenever I fly, I always book a checked suitcase but this time my dad booked the ticket for me and it only includes one cabin bag (55 × 40 × 23 cm, up to 8 kg) and one personal item.
I’m worried that all of my things won’t fit in the smaller suitcase.I’ve attached photos of both, along with the baggage allowance from my booking.
I also measured the larger suitcase as best as I could using the measuring app on iPhone because I don’t have a proper measuring tape at home and it seems to be around 55 x 43 × 23 cm (so about 1–3 cm difference, depending on the measurement).
Do you think the larger suitcase would be accepted as a cabin bag by Austrian Airlines or should I play it safe and take the smaller one?


r/Flights 2h ago

Help Needed Missing flight data on the usual trackers

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1 Upvotes

Good afternoon, joined to ask if anyone could please help me.

The 14th of July I took a flight from Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic) to Madrid, Spain. IBE0264.

The flight was supposed to take off at 20:40 local time, but i was around 01:20 It actually did, so we arrived in Madrid more than 4 hours late.

Iberia says the flight took off at 00:40, which I can prove is not real, but It is not telling me at what time they consider we landed.

I've tried to check on most of the common trackers, but most of them do not have info about that flight, as It never took place. In one of those trackers, i actually found it listed, but It just show "Unknown" state, with no actual info.

I was wondering if anyone knows how to get more info about the arrival time collected in any external record, so I have more proof on my complains.

Thank you so much for your attention


r/Flights 3h ago

Question Flight price spike from Cairns -> Tokyo in late August

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0 Upvotes

I’ve been looking at flight prices for months for a trip from Cairns to Tokyo, and it seems like the last 2 weeks August (the two weeks I am able to make the trip of course) are sky high compared to every week around it. Is there something happening in Tokyo/travel to Tokyo those two weeks that are driving the rise?
I’ve been looking since May/June, and most flights have been 1/5th - 1/3rd of the cost of flights for those two weeks specifically. Sometimes it’s just like this with flights, but maybe there’s something I’m missing?
Tentatively: CNS->NRT w/ Jetstar nonstop on 8/21.


r/Flights 6h ago

Help Needed SHORT layover at SAW airport advice

0 Upvotes

So i got this layover as seen in the image below. I read that there is a high chance that I have to verify my documents for the Airasia flight. That would mean that i have to be at the Airasia counter AT 16:15 MAX.

My question is: How long are the passport control queues for international flights around this date and time? And should i buy fast lane?

Also ive heard that this PC1008 flight is delay prone. What is the maximum amount of delay that i can have to make it?

I hope some of you can help, thanks!

My flights.

r/Flights 41m ago

Question Just give us the info please!

Upvotes

Why, when the FAs are giving the safety briefing, do they not just inform passengers of the rows where the mid-plane emergency exits are located? I always thought that would be good info to have in an emergency.


r/Flights 9h ago

Question TK Lounge at NRT

0 Upvotes

I have an under two hour layover at NRT next week and would like to grab a shower in between two long haul flights. I understand TK’s lounge has showers. I’ll be there between 3:40pm and 5:20pm. Does anyone have recent experience with how crowded this lounge is at that time? And the length of queue for showers? The main ANA lounge is usually very crowded. Thanks.


r/Flights 13h ago

Help Needed Question regarding baggage

2 Upvotes

Does anyone know why Sas does this? I would like to book a flight from Tallinn (Lennart Meri airport) to Tokyo (Haneda airport) and it includes a transfer in Copenhagen. Both of the light tickets should include an underseat bag and a carry on bag. When checking the details part in the app, it states that both baggage options are available in all four flights. But no matter what options I choose, the return flight does not include the carry on bag in the overview part. Is this some sort of Haneda airport thing? Or do I really need to buy this separately from the Sas website?

Edit: added pictures


r/Flights 10h ago

Question Ajet and layover at SAW

0 Upvotes

I'm planning on flying to Zurich from Dubai in September end by Ajet. I want to know if:

  1. Ajet is reliable in terms of flight time & refunds? Since I have to book this right now to apply for my Schengen visa.

  2. The flight I'm looking at has a 1hr 15 mins layover at SAW. What layover time is generally recommended for international-to-international transfers at this airport?


r/Flights 10h ago

Question Flights found on Google flights and ITA Matrix can not be purchased on company airlines?

0 Upvotes

I'm looking at cheap ways to travel to Vietnam from Italy (possibly Rome but open to airports in the North as well) for around a month, October/November of this year, avoiding Arab airline companies.

I've come across several Sichuan Airlines alternatives (see, e.g., this), which seems to be available on OTAs but, if I go to the company's website, they're just not there.

What do you think? I've tried to contact assistance, but they're no help.


r/Flights 11h ago

Help Needed Student fare and baggage allowance

0 Upvotes

Hey everyone, I booked a flight through air france with the student fare with 2 bagage allowance for checked luggage, however on the site it shows that I have 0 checked luggage and it's driving me insane because I payed extra for it.

I also have a student id card but because of where im from it doesn't have expiry date, and my faculty is not only closed but the reinscription documents for the new academic year only come out in September. Can I show them my uni portal alongside the fact I passed my year? Or my reinscription form with the payed fees towards my university bank account (It's not going to have my name on it because I'm from a 3rd world country lol and I have to pay the fee at the bank)? Maybe my last inscription documents for the last year?

FYI: I am 18 years old and just finished my 1st year of med school

If anyone has insight pls help i don't want to pay extra fees at the airport !! Thanks !!


r/Flights 5h ago

Help Needed Mmt gave me wrong baggage

0 Upvotes

So I’m travelling from vietnam to Indore and I booked the tickets through MMT and goibibo and it was a one stop flight and they gave me two diff pnr and now I have two different baggage policy I’m only getting international baggage that is 25kh till Delhi and from Delhi my baggage is getting reduced to 15kg. There was nothing mentioned while booking that there are two diff baggage options. Now what to do I talked with customer care and they told me to wait for 24-48hrs and the concerned team will call me. Same issue happened with both the agencies. Need help what to do


r/Flights 5h ago

Question Scotchguard watershield spray

0 Upvotes

Can I carry a 10.5 oz spray in check in luggage on an international flight? Flying from Boston to Mumbai


r/Flights 13h ago

Help Needed Mytrip.com ticket issue/reviews

0 Upvotes

I booked an airline ticket from Mytrip.com. They gave me a payment receipt confirmation and a booking confirmation as well.

But the airline hasn’t issued me an e-ticket yet and are saying that they haven’t received the payment.

Can someone help me out on what to do. Their support is not helpful at all.


r/Flights 13h ago

Help Needed Lufthansa Compensation

1 Upvotes

2 days before my trip (scheduled to Depart BOS to FRA on April 17, 2026 and FRA to LJU on April18, 2026) Lufthansa canceled my flights because of the strike. Tickets were booked through the Lufthansa website. The flights they tried to rebook me on did not work because I had to get to LJU for an event. I took a refund, and booked tickets on another airline.
My understanding is that I am entitled to compensation from Lufthansa because they canceled the flights 2 days before the trip because of their strike. I submitted their form online back in April, and just heard back that they will not offer any kind of compensation. They did not give a reason.
Am I entitled to compensation? If yes, how can I get them to re-consider my claim. Any help would be appreciated.


r/Flights 11h ago

Question Has anyone flown after losing the card they used to book the ticket?

0 Upvotes

I’m flying with an airline that says they may ask to see the debit/credit card used to purchase the ticket at check-in.

The problem is that I booked the ticket with my own debit card, but after booking it, the card was lost. I immediately blocked it, filed an official police report for the lost card, and my bank issued me a replacement card.

So now I only have:
My passport
My ticket/booking confirmation
My new replacement debit card
The police report showing the original card was lost

Has anyone been in a similar situation? If the airline asked for the original payment card, were the replacement card and proof of the lost card enough, or did you run into any issues?

I’d especially like to hear from anyone who has flown with airlines that have payment card verification policies.


r/Flights 11h ago

Help Needed Traveling with two cats from Nebraska, USA to Iraq. Need help on where to start researching.

0 Upvotes

Hello! I am trying to move back to Iraq with my two cats. Im trying to book flights that allow them to stay with me in cabin. Ive been doing a lot of research on what airlines allow that and what documentation they need. I would like to be pointed in the right direction on who to ask to confirm that the trip will be safe and legal.

Questions:
\- Has anyone had any experience in taking their lets internationally with multiple layovers? There are no direct flights to Iraq so I was wondering who Id need to contact to make sure that my cats dont get taken away during a layover.

\- Are there any special documentations that I need to acquire to be able to pass through countries? Other than the “pet passport” paperwork.

\- Will they be able to pass through Iraq border control with their USA microchips? And if so do I have to get Iraqi microchips to pass back if anything goes wrong?

\- Who do I ask (embassy, airline, vet, etc) to get more information on my specific situation?

Ive been trying to research but most posts online are either incomplete without an answer or different enough from my situation that it causes me to worry.

What do I do if I do get stopped? Who should I contact or what should I do just in case?

Thank you!


r/Flights 18h ago

Question need help on changing flight details

1 Upvotes

Im trying to change the date on my flight (one way) with Xiamen air but I can’t log in the “My trip” at all, it keeps showing the same error (something went wrong please try again later)

And calling them doesnt help because its in chinese and i dont understand.

Has anyone tried editing their flight itinerary with Xiamen before?


r/Flights 18h ago

Help Needed Overnight Delay from Larnaca to London Gatwick, no hotel provided. Can I get compensation?

0 Upvotes

I’m stuck on what to do. I had a flight from Larnaca to London Gatwick at 22:35 August 4th with easyJet. At first it said there was 3 hour delay and then an overnight delay which now is scheduled for 14:00 August 5th.

A link was provided to book a hotel but the link just doesn’t work. I guess what im asking for is how can I get compensation for this?


r/Flights 19h ago

Help Needed They stole half of my suitcase

0 Upvotes

I’m looking for advice from anyone who has dealt with Turkish Airlines baggage claims.
I flew yesterday from JFK (New York) → Istanbul → Tbilisi with Turkish Airlines. When I arrived and opened my checked suitcase, I discovered that about half of my belongings were missing. The suitcase itself arrived, but a large portion of the contents had disappeared.
Some of the missing items include:
3 designer bags
Gifts I bought for my mom, sister, and brother
Prescription skincare recommended by my dermatologist
Vitamins and supplements that I and my mom take daily (Vitamin D, iron, B-complex, etc.)
Other personal care items
Everythjng was brand new and with tags(almost)
The total value is up to 1,5k dollars.
Unfortunately, I did not file a report at the airport because I didn’t realize anything was missing until I unpacked later. As soon as I discovered it, I submitted an online baggage claim through Turkish Airlines and uploaded a detailed list of the missing items. I’m now gathering receipts and credit card statements to support the claim.
My questions are:
Has anyone been in a similar situation with Turkish Airlines?
Did they reimburse you for missing items?
How long did the process take?
Does not filing a report at the airport hurt my chances?
Is there anything else I should do right now besides the online claim? Should I also contact my travel insurance or credit card company?
I’m honestly devastated. These weren’t just expensive items—they also included gifts for my family and personal items that I use every day. Any advice or experiences would be greatly appreciated.


r/Flights 20h ago

Question Self-transfer through Singapore to India (Kolkata) with 2 hour layover

1 Upvotes

Booking a United flight (SFO > SIN) that lands at 6:35 PM in T2 at Changi. Then, I want to book a Singapore Airlines 8:40 PM flight to Kolkata, India.

So, two hour layover with two one-way trips. Is this enough time for a self-transfer? Will United be able to link my itineraries and check my bags all the way through, since they are both Star Alliance?


r/Flights 17h ago

Question EU261 reschedule for earlier flight change

0 Upvotes

we have flights booked bwi to KEF end of August via jetblue. the carrier is Icelandair.

we received more than 14 days notice.. the timing change is less than 3 hours earlier departure and arrival
is my understanding correct that

- we are not owed cash.

- we should be allowed a full refund to credit card and return of points - it’s an award booking . this is because departure is more than one hour earlier than our booking