HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PASSENGERS STRANDED WORLDWIDE: War in the Middle East the biggest obstruction of air traffic since covid!

Hundreds of thousands of passengers remain blocked worldwide after key Middle Eastern air hubs were closed following American-Israeli strikes on Iran.

Another hundred flights were canceled today, extending the chaos in global air traffic and further worsening things for passengers. This is the heaviest blow to aviation since the covid 19 pandemic, writes the Guardian.

Thousands of flights canceled

Main airports in the Middle East, including Dubai, the busiest international hub in the world, were closed for the third day in a row. Nearly 2,800 flights were canceled on Saturday, according to the flight tracking platform FlightAware, and 3,156 on Sunday. As of early Monday morning, 1,239 flights have been canceled. Emirates from Dubai, Etihad Airways from Abu Dhabi, and Qatar Airways from Doha canceled hundreds of flights, and other carriers, including Air India, also suspended services in the region.

“There is no bright spot for passengers,” said Henry Harteveldt, an aviation industry analyst and president of the Atmosphere Research Group. “They should be prepared for delays or cancellations in the next few days as the attacks unfold and, hopefully, end.”

BREAKING: Iranian drone struck Dubai International Airport.

Source: @visegrad24 pic.twitter.com/vIaa0sYWAr
— Mossad Commentary (@MOSSADil) February 28, 2026

Global consequences of the conflict

According to data from the flight tracking site Flightradar24, the airspace over Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Israel, Bahrain, the UAE, and Qatar remained largely empty today.

The consequences are felt far beyond the Middle East, and passengers are trapped in destinations from Bali to Frankfurt. The conflict has also spread to Lebanon, where Israel carried out airstrikes after Hezbollah fired rockets, closing a large part of the region’s airspace. An additional problem is that crews and pilots are now scattered across the world, which makes it difficult to resume flights after the reopening of the airspace.

While most passengers struggle with access to information, the ultra-rich are finding alternatives. “Saudi Arabia is currently the only real option for people who want to leave the region,” Amir Naran, executive director of the private jet brokerage Vimana Private, told Semafor, estimating that the price of a private jet flight from Riyadh to Europe can reach up to $350,000.

Economic blow

Shares of major airlines fell as investors are worried about the consequences of the war. Japan Airlines shares fell by 5.6%, Singapore Airlines by 4.5%, Qantas by 5.4%, and Cathay Pacific by 2.9%. Carriers also face higher fuel prices after Brent crude oil jumped as much as 13% to $80 per barrel, and analysts predict it could reach $100.

“The main impact on everyone will be through oil prices, which will obviously rise sharply,” said aviation consultant Bertrand Grabowski. The Gulf is also a key hub for air cargo, which further strains trade routes that are already affected by disruptions at sea.

BREAKING: Iranian drone strike hits Dubai International Airport.

Evacuations are underway at the airport. pic.twitter.com/kjEwqD5Vyl
— Clash Report (@clashreport) February 28, 2026

Pressure on alternative corridors

Analysts say that the prolonged closure of the sky and all three main transit hubs in the Gulf is unprecedented. Remaining flights are being rerouted to avoid the closed airspace. Routes via Iran and Iraq have become more important since the war in Ukraine forced airlines to avoid Russian and Ukrainian airspace.

The closure of Middle Eastern airspace is now pushing airlines into even narrower corridors, and conflicts between Pakistan and Afghanistan create additional risk, noted Ian Petchenik, director of communications at Flightradar24. “Long-term disruptions are the biggest concern for commercial aviation,” he said.