Many airlines are operating restricted schedules due to airspace restrictions in the Middle East, with 21,915 of the 38,193 services scheduled to fly since February 28 cancelled
15:11, 11 Mar 2026Updated 15:11, 11 Mar 2026
Yesterday, British Airways announced that it has suspended all flights to and from Amman, Bahrain, Doha, Dubai, and Tel Aviv until later this month,(Image: Getty Images)
Dozens of flights to and from the UK have been cancelled today as the war in Iran continues.
Many airlines are operating restricted schedules due to airspace restrictions in the Middle East, with 21,915 of the 38,193 services scheduled to fly since February 28 cancelled.
On Wednesday morning, Dubai International Airport was forced to temporarily pause operations due to a drone strike nearby, which wounded four people. Authorities have confirmed that flights have since continued.
Emirates and Etihad are still operating limited schedules from Dubai and Abu Dhabi airports, respectively. Qatar Airways said it is “doing everything possible to support affected passengers and help reunite them with family and loved ones” while Qatari airspace remains closed.
The airline said that operations will resume“ once the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority confirms the safe reopening of Qatari airspace.”
Yesterday, British Airways announced that it has suspended all flights to and from Amman, Bahrain, Doha, Dubai, and Tel Aviv until later this month, while its services to and from Abu Dhabi are cancelled until later this year. The decision means hundreds of BA services will be cancelled over the coming months.
Flight data shared exclusively with the Mirror by analytics firm Cirium shows that 55 of the planned services due to fly today had been cancelled as of 12.45 pm, which is 2.49% of the total scheduled to fly into the UK from the Middle East and vice versa.
UK flights cancelled on March 11
Arrival Country: Flights; Cancelled; Cancel %
Qatar: 18; 17; 94.44%
United Kingdom: 493; 15; 3.04%
United Arab Emirates: 32; 11; 34.38%
Bahrain: 3; 3; 100.00%
United States: 113; 2; 1.77%
Jordan: 3; 1; 33.33%
Israel: 7; 1; 14.29%
Germany: 116; 1; 0.86%
Denmark: 29; 1; 3.45%
Cyprus: 20; 1; 5.00%
Uganda: 1; 1; 100.00%
Ireland: 121; 1; 0.83%
If you are due to fly from or to the Middle East in the coming days, make sure you check your airline’s website for instructions and the Foreign Office website for the latest advice.
What have the airlines said?
Aegean Airlines – Greece’s largest carrier cancelled flights to Tel Aviv until March 20; Beirut, Erbil and Baghdad until March 25; Dubai and Abu Dhabi until March 19; and Riyadh until March 14.
Air France–KLM – Air France cancelled flights to Tel Aviv and Beirut through March 13, and to Dubai and Riyadh until March 12. KLM suspended flights to Dubai, Riyadh and Dammam until March 10, and to Tel Aviv for the rest of the winter season.
Cathay Pacific – Cancelled all flights to and from Dubai and Riyadh until March 31.
Delta – Cancelled flights from New York to Tel Aviv until March 22 and from Tel Aviv to New York until March 23.
Emirates – Operating a reduced flight schedule but expects to return to full operations within days, depending on airspace availability and operational requirements.
Etihad Airways – Resumed a limited commercial flight schedule between Abu Dhabi and several key destinations.
Iberia Express cancelled all flights to and from Tel Aviv through March 10.
Lufthansa Group – Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, Swiss and Brussels Airlines suspended Tel Aviv flights through April 2 and Beirut flights through March 28. Flights to Tehran are suspended until April 30, and to Amman, Erbil, Dammam, Dubai and Abu Dhabi until March 15.
Norwegian Air – Now plans to start flights to Tel Aviv and Beirut on June 15, instead of the previously scheduled April 1 and April 4.
Qatar Airways – Operating a limited schedule to and from Doha, with some flights resuming from March 9 following temporary authorisation from Qatar’s civil aviation authority.
Saudia Airlines – Suspended flights to Amman, Kuwait, Abu Dhabi, Doha and Bahrain until March 10, and to Moscow and Peshawar until March 15. Limited operations to Dubai have resumed.
Wizz Air – Suspended flights to Israel until March 29, and flights from mainland Europe to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Amman and Jeddah until mid-September.
The scale of the disruption to aviation caused by the US and Israeli attack on Iran has been enormous. Of the 38,193 flights that were scheduled to fly out or into the Middle East since February 28, 21,915 have been cancelled
15:02, 10 Mar 2026Updated 15:27, 10 Mar 2026
BA has cancelled flights to several Middle Eastern cities (Image: AFP via Getty Images)
This afternoon, the UK’s flag carrier announced it would reduce its flight schedule across the region and cancel flights to certain cities. BA bosses have decided to ground all flights to Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates until “later this year”.
Although the airline hasn’t said how many services have been cancelled, given its daily services to Abu Dhabi prior to the war, the total number of flights grounded comfortably stretches into the hundreds.
“Due to the continuing uncertainty of the situation in the Middle East and airspace instability, we’ve had to temporarily reduce our flying schedule in the region. We’ve cancelled all flights to and from Amman, Bahrain, Doha, Dubai and Tel Aviv until later this month and to and from Abu Dhabi until later this year. We’re keeping the situation under constant review and are in touch with our customers to offer them a range of options,” the statement from BA reads.
“We have limited seats remaining on our repatriation flights from Oman (Muscat) to London Heathrow on 11 and 12 March for customers with an existing booking. Following these dates, the flights will pause due to reduced demand but will be kept under continuous review.”
The scale of the disruption to aviation caused by the US and Israeli attack on Iran has been enormous. Of the 38,193 flights that were scheduled to fly out or into the Middle East since February 28, 21,915 have been cancelled. The latest figures show that most routes are getting back to close to normal. Of the 4,783 flights scheduled for today, 1,107 were or are expected to be cancelled.
If you are due to fly from or to the Middle East in the coming days, make sure you check your airline’s website for instructions and the Foreign Office website for the latest advice.
What have the airlines said?
Aegean Airlines – Greece’s largest carrier cancelled flights to Tel Aviv until March 20; Beirut, Erbil and Baghdad until March 25; Dubai and Abu Dhabi until March 19; and Riyadh until March 14.
Air France–KLM – Air France cancelled flights to Tel Aviv and Beirut through March 13, and to Dubai and Riyadh until March 12. KLM suspended flights to Dubai, Riyadh and Dammam until March 10, and to Tel Aviv for the rest of the winter season.
Cathay Pacific – Cancelled all flights to and from Dubai and Riyadh until March 31.
Delta – Cancelled flights from New York to Tel Aviv until March 22 and from Tel Aviv to New York until March 23.
Emirates – Operating a reduced flight schedule but expects to return to full operations within days, depending on airspace availability and operational requirements.
Etihad Airways – Resumed a limited commercial flight schedule between Abu Dhabi and several key destinations.
Iberia Express cancelled all flights to and from Tel Aviv through March 10.
Lufthansa Group – Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, Swiss and Brussels Airlines suspended Tel Aviv flights through April 2 and Beirut flights through March 28. Flights to Tehran are suspended until April 30, and to Amman, Erbil, Dammam, Dubai and Abu Dhabi until March 15.
Norwegian Air – Now plans to start flights to Tel Aviv and Beirut on June 15, instead of the previously scheduled April 1 and April 4.
Qatar Airways – Operating a limited schedule to and from Doha, with some flights resuming from March 9 following temporary authorisation from Qatar’s civil aviation authority.
Saudia Airlines – Suspended flights to Amman, Kuwait, Abu Dhabi, Doha and Bahrain until March 10, and to Moscow and Peshawar until March 15. Limited operations to Dubai have resumed.
Wizz Air – Suspended flights to Israel until March 29, and flights from mainland Europe to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Amman and Jeddah until mid-September.
Thousands of Brits were left stranded following the outbreak of the Middle East conflict but now British Airways has announced it will suspend its daily rescue flights from Muscat
Travel in the region continues to be severely disrupted
15:18, 09 Mar 2026Updated 16:20, 09 Mar 2026
Thousands of tourists have been stranded across the Middle East following the US-Israeli air attacks against Iran
Travel expert Simon Calder has shared his thoughts on the prospect of ‘normality’ returning to airports in the Middle East. Flights to and from the region continue to be severely disrupted in the wake of the US-Israeli attacks on Iran.
A multitude of flights to and from Dubai, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi – all three being vital transport hubs for individuals travelling to and from the Gulf and Asia – have been cancelled. Approximately half a million passengers typically utilise these airports daily.
More than 37,000 Brits have made their way back to the UK from the Middle East since the crisis response commenced, with it believed that tens of thousands more remain stranded.
Mr Calder has been regularly updating on the crisis, which began on February 28. He stated that whilst he anticipates an increase in the number of flights departing from the region, there’s no definitive end to the disruption in sight.
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“There are tickets now being sold by Etihad out of Abu Dhabi,” he revealed. “Which is an interesting development. On top of that, I expect there to be a ramp-up in flights out of Doha and out of Dubai, but at the moment we are still a long way away from anything that could be described as normality, whatever that looks like.
“You know, the idea that you have half a million people flying to, through, and from the three big hubs of Dubai, Doha, and Abu Dhabi every day. And it’s an interesting question as to what on earth happens when, of course, the war is finally over, which cannot come soon enough. But anyway, so I hope that people will be able to get out.”
On Monday, 16 out of the 18 scheduled flights from the UK to Qatar were cancelled due to ongoing airspace closures, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium.
Eleven out of 33 flights from the UK to the United Arab Emirates – encompassing Dubai and Abu Dhabi – were also scrapped. It’s anticipated that clearing the backlog of stranded passengers caused by the conflict will take weeks.
“British Airways has taken the view that we’re not going into Dubai or Abu Dhabi or Doha,” Mr Calder explained. “If you want to fly out, we’re happy to do that, but we’re going to be arranging flights from Muscat and looking at Friday night’s Virgin Atlantic flight to Dubai, that was arguably a good call because the effect was that the flight got to within maybe a couple of hundred miles of Dubai over Saudi Arabia and then turned around because of the attack on Dubai airport.
“It flew back, couldn’t get all the way back, went to Budapest to refuel and then continued to Heathrow. So it was roughly, I think, something like an 18-hour flight to nowhere.”
RYANAIR is scrapping more flights to Spain and it will affect one of the country’s popular airports.
The budget airline has already axed millions of seats in recent months, citing expensive airport fees and charges.
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Ryanair is scrapping more seats to SpainCredit: GettyGirona Airport connects Brits to both Barcelona and Costa BravaCredit: Alamy
And Ryanair has since confirmed that Girona Airport will be the latest victim, with 11 per cent fewer seats nextsummer.
The airline cited the “failed fee system” for the removals of seats, according to local media.
Alejandra Ruiz, the airline’s spokesperson in Spain, said: “Ryanair had ambitious growth plans for Catalonia’s regional airports, where it could have allocated a fifth aircraft to Girona, a new base in Reus, and unprecedented growth at both airports under competitive and beneficial conditions for all airlines.
“However, we are still waiting for a response from the Spanish government, which has no plans to fix these regional airports.”
HOLIDAYS to Dubai have been left in chaos following the Iran conflict, with thousands of flights cancelled after a number of drone attacks on the city in recent weeks.
So here is everything you need to know right now about travelling to the UAE city.
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Here’s everything you need to know about travelling to Dubai right nowCredit: Getty
Is it safe to travel to Dubai right now?
Dubai remains on the no travel list, unless it is essential.
The UK Foreign Office states: “FCDO advises against all but essential travel to United Arab Emirates.
“Your travel insurance could be invalidated if you travel against advice from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO).”
While this isn’t outright ban against all travel, essential travel doesn’t usually mean holidays, but is instead things like work or essential family travel.
Emirates said: “Following the partial re‑opening of regional airspace, Emirates is operating a reduced flight schedule.
“Customers transiting in Dubai will only be accepted for travel if their connecting flight is operating.
“Please do not go to the airport unless you hold a confirmed booking for these flights.”
Virgin Atlantic briefly restarted flights from both Dubai to the UK.
However, a recent 16-hour ‘flight to nowhere’ which was forced to return to London Heathrow has led to the airline scrapping flights until the end of the season (March 28).
British Airways is also unable to operate flights to Dubai, and only has limited flights from Oman to London Heathrow.
Anyone flying with British Airways to Dubai up to March 15 can request a full refund, or change the flight date for free up to March 29.
Other areas in the Middle East such as Doha and Abu Dhabi are still being affected.
Qatar Airways is operating one flight a day to and from London Heathrow to Doha but warns that “scheduled flight operations remain temporarily suspended due to the closure of Qatari airspace”.
Etihad is operating limited flights to London Heathrow and Manchester from Abu Dhabi, but also warns that “all other scheduled commercial services to and from Abu Dhabi remain suspended.”
All non-essential travel to Dubai is still advised againstCredit: Alamy
What if I have a holiday to Dubai booked?
Most tour operators will allow Brits to cancel their holidays to Dubai for a full refund, or offer an alternative option, due to it being on the ‘only essential travel” list.
While this is not mandatory, many are cancelling holidays nonetheless.
Loveholidays is cancelling all holidays up to March 15 either to Dubai or ones that are travelling via Dubai.
They explained:”We’ve made the decision to cancel all holidays departing up to and including 15 March 2026 to countries currently on the FCDO ‘all but essential travel’ list
“This includes holidays with a connecting flight via one of these countries.
“Our team has begun processing full refunds for affected bookings in departure date order and will contact you directly with further information.”
Refunds will be processed in 3-5 working days.
They are also allowing anyone with Emirates flights up to March 31 to cancel their holidays for a full refund, while anyone flying to Dubai with Virgin Atlantic up until March 31 will have their holidays cancelled.
They are not selling any holidays to Dubai up until May, although June holidays remain unaffected.
TUI‘s latest Dubai update was on Friday, saying: “If you are due to travel to the UAE, or are scheduled to transit through, within the next seven days, our pre-travel team will contact you ahead of your departure date to discuss your options.”
On the Beach has cancelled all holidays to the UAE until tomorrow with full refunds although this is likely to be extended.
Ryanair passengers have been told to pack a cardboard box in their hand luggage
Ryanair increased its cabin bag allowance in 2025(Image: Nuria Gonzalez Sanchez via Getty Images)
Ryanair passengers have been advised to slip a piece of cardboard into their hand luggage following an announcement the airline made last summer. The budget airline increased its ‘personal bag’ size by 20% in response to new EU regulations.
As of September 2025, passengers travelling on a basic fare can bring a larger bag on board, measuring up to 40cm x 30cm x 20cm, without incurring additional charges. The bag must weigh less than 10kg and fit under the seat in front of you.
With the new bag dimensions now in effect, packing expert Tom Schott from Schott Packaging is cautioning travellers against a potentially costly mistake, as he believes the increased allowance might tempt people to overpack their bags. Tom said: “The new dimension is a game-changer, but only if you use it wisely.
“The mistake is to simply cram more in. The real victory for passengers is using that volume to pack with structure. A well-packed bag is a compliant bag.”
One of Tom’s many tips to avoid this is to pack some cardboard. He explained: “Soft bags lose volume. A lightweight, snug-fitting cardboard box inside your bag provides a rigid frame, allowing you to use every corner and prevent the bulge that attracts gate staff.”
He also suggests using sealable bags to maximise space, organising items into smaller compartments, and protecting valuables. Tom added: “Place a small, sturdy box in the centre of your bag, cushioned by clothes.
“This creates a crush-proof zone for chargers, adapters, and toiletries, preventing damage and leaks.”
Holidaymakers are also advised to “pre-plan your bag”, with Tom recommending you arrange all your belongings on the floor within a 40cm x 30cm outline beforehand, as this “provides a real-world view of what fits and helps you assemble your packed modules logically and quickly.”
Tom went on to say: “These aren’t just clever tricks, but core principles of efficient packing. By applying them, you can confidently pack that extra outfit and still breeze through the boarding gate”.
Wizz Air has announced that it’s received approval to operate flights between the UK and USA with its first flights set to take off in the summer in time for the World Cup
The budget airline is better known for its Eastern European services but will soon be flying stateside(Image: Getty Images)
Budget airline Wizz Air has confirmed it now has “regulatory approval” to operate flights to the United States. The airline, who currently offer routes from the UK to destinations such as Poland, Turkey, Italy, and Romania, will offer the flights for football fans visiting the USA for the 2026 World Cup.
The airline confirmed it will now offer tailored charter flights to groups from teams to supporters and tour operators who are organising group travel to the USA. It confirmed that charter enquiries for summer travel are now open.
However, the airline also clarified that it has “no intention or plans to launch regular commercial flights to the US” but that “the new authorization represents a significant achievement and reflects months of preparation, regulatory coordination, and operational planning.”
So, while individuals won’t be able to book onto scheduled services, those who are travelling with large groups, organising a tour, or travellers looking for a private travel experience will be able to charter a transatlantic flight with Wizz Air.
Yvonne Moynihan, Managing Director of Wizz Air UK, said in a statement: “This is a proud and exciting day for everyone at our airline,” said . “Receiving approval to operate between the UK and the United States is a huge milestone for our company. It opens the door to incredible opportunities, particularly for European football teams and supporters travelling across the Atlantic this summer.
“We are ready to deliver exceptional charter experiences and bring fans closer to the action in the United States.”
England’s first fixture is set for June 17 at Dallas Stadium in Arlington, meaning many football fans are likely to descend on the Texas city to watch the big game. Its other group games are England vs Ghana, set for June 23 in Boston, and Panama vs England on June 27 in New York.
Scotland’s World Cup fixtures are set for June 14 when they take on Haiti in Boston, followed by another match in the city against Morocco on June 19. The team will then head to Miami for Scotland vs Brazil on June 24.
Wales and Northern Ireland are yet to secure their places in the World Cup as both teams are still in the qualifying stages. In addition to fixtures across the USA, some matches will also be held in Canada and Mexico who are joint hosts.
However, seeing the matches in person is likely to be an expensive undertaking. Tickets for group stage games range from $100 to $575 (about £75 to £431), although FIFA has announced a very limited number of £45 tickets to each game. A seat at the July 19 final, which will take place in New Jersey, will be especially costly. Tickets bought at face value range from $2,030 to $6,370, about £1,500 to £4,800, with resellers no doubt charging even more.
Have a story you want to share? Email us at webtravel@reachplc.com
WE’VE all seen the headline of £14 flights plastered across airline websites, social media and publications – but what does a £14 flight actually look like and can you really get it for that price?
When it comes to booking a holiday, we all love a bargain.
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Budget airlines often show cheap flights as low as £14 on social media and websitesCredit: Getty
And in the UK we aren’t short of budget airlines to choose from, such as Ryanair, easyJet and Wizz Air.
But the reality is that airlines actually often lose money on £14 flights if you book them without extras.
This is because the flight tends to be listed at cost or below cost to entice people in to go on the website.
According to The Flight Club, Ryanair has previously claimed that each passenger costs them about €34 (£29.55) to fly each way, excluding fuel.
Broken down, this is about €8 (£6.95) for staff, €8 (£6.95) for airport and handling costs, €6 (£5.21) for travelling in the air space, €8 (£6.95) for aircraft ownership and maintenance and €4 (£3.48) for other expenses.
On the other hand, Wizz Air’s costs are around €52 (£45.19) per passenger per flight and easyJet’s are around €79 (£68.66) (again, both excluding fuel).
When looking at flights, once on an airline’s website you can get hooked in and before you know it you’re adding a return flight and luggage adding up to a figure far from that original £14 fare.
At the moment, the cheapest flight available is with Wizz Air to Gdansk in Poland, costing just £13.99 one-way.
Other Wizz Air options include Seville in Spain for £19.99 one-way, or Barcelona and Valencia – also both in Spain – return flights for £40 each.
EasyJet has the second cheapest flight on offer, which is to Nice in France, costing £14.49 one-way.
Other cheap easyJet options include Fuerteventura in Spain for £16.99, Innsbruck in Austria for £16.99, Palma de Mallorca in Spain for £16.99 and Pisa in Italy for £16.99 – all one-way flights.
Ryanair then comes in a touch more expensive, with flights to to Alicante and Barcelona in Spain starting from £14.99 one-way.
The main issue with these flights from the offset? All of them except a handful fly out from London airports.
For those who don’t live in or near the capital, this is where your first additional cost will come in.
Either you spend money travelling to the London airports or you opt to fly from your local airport, but at the sacrifice of your ticket being more expensive.
The second cost on top of the flight price are add-ons.
And whilst these flights do exist, there are a lot of caveatsCredit: Getty
For example, to add cabin luggage to each a Wizz Air, easyJet and Ryanair flight it would cost around an additional £32.97, £17.20 and £43.98 per person, per flight respectively.
These additional costs do also include standard seat selection and ‘speedy’ boarding for each airline.
Though if you want extra legroom, then again that will come at a price.
So if you intended to take anything more than a handbag, your flight will already be costing you a lot more.
Another issue is getting a flight back.
While one-way flights can be a bargain, prices tend to rise when you book a return.
For Gdansk, for example, the return leg costs around £28.99.
For example, they will mainly be from London AirportsCredit: Alamy
So the basic flight costs you more like £42 and with cabin luggage it would sit more around the £75 return mark.
One way to get around this is by having flexible holiday dates, as then you can choose the day with the cheapest return flight.
Other hidden costs include checking in at the airport, which Wizz Air charges €40 (£34.78) to do – more than double the price of the actual flight!
If you are travelling light and able to fit your stuff into a small bag (45cm x 36cm x 20cm for easyJet or 40cm x 30cm x 20cm for Wizz Air and Ryanair), then the cheap flights are worth it.
One centimetre bigger than this though, and it could cost you an additional £70 at the gate.
But if you do choose to fly with just a handbag that fits under the seat in front of you, then perhaps opt for easyJet to make the most of those extra few centimetres allowance.
On the other hand, if you are travelling as a family with extra luggage, who want to sit together and have fixed holiday dates, then maybe this isn’t the best offer.
If we take the £75 per person price for return flights to Gdansk as an example, a family of four, with two children aged over two (under twos don’t need their own plane seat), you could be looking at £300 for return flights.
Sometimes package holidays can be better value for moneyCredit: Alamy
And that’s before your hotel booking.
The better option for families is to book a package holiday that includes flights.
For example, you could stay in a sea view studio at Albatros Family Hotel in Salou, Costa Dorada in Spain for four nights, flying from London Gatwick on April 20 with four 10kg cabin bags and four 22kg hold suitcases and airport transfers for £573 total or just £143 each.
And for that price, you get hold luggage, which if you booked on a flight separately, it would cost you even more.
Of course, with a holiday package you also get peace of mind in case of things going wrong, as you’ll have ATOL Protection, which helps in cases of your travel operator going bust.
The bottom line?
If you are travelling with a backpack, and live near an airport, go for it.
For those who like to pack more or are travelling as a family, perhaps book a package to avoid the headache.
Specialist Claer Barrett issued the advice to concerned people who have flights in the area booked
13:02, 05 Mar 2026Updated 13:19, 05 Mar 2026
Emirates Airline planes parked on the tarmac at Dubai International Airport in Dubai on March 2(Image: FADEL SENNA, AFP via Getty Images)
A travel specialist is calling on Brits to stay calm and follow crucial guidance if their travel arrangements have been jeopardised due to the US-Israel military action against Iran. Travel chaos continues to plague the Middle East as Iran launches counter-attacks.
It is estimated that more than 100,000 Britons were left stranded in the area as airports including Qatar, Abu Dhabi and Dubai shut down operations because of the hostilities. More than 2,000 passengers landed in the UK on evacuation flights from the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday, according to Government officials.
Questions persist about the duration of the conflict, casting doubt over numerous travellers’ plans given the crucial role of Gulf airports as connection hubs for journeys to Asia and Australasia. Appearing on ITV’s Lorraine, specialist Claer Barrett delivered ‘vital’ guidance for those planning to travel in the near future.
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She stated: “My big message to everyone watching is don’t panic and hit the cancel button, because if you cancel a flight, a holiday, whatever, yourself, you won’t have as many rights as if the airline cancels the flight.
“Let’s start off with flights,” she went on. “So if an airline cancels your flight, as long as you’re flying with a UK airline or departing or flying back to a UK or EU airport, you’re legally entitled to choose. So if they cancel you, you can say, ‘Well, I want a refund, I want my money back,’ or, ‘I want a different flight with a different airline, I want to be rerouted’ or offered assistance if you were stuck somewhere. So it’s important not to cancel yourself.
“But if your upcoming holiday is in the affected area, the advice from Which?, the big consumer website, is monitor the airline’s website to determine whether your plans are going to be affected, because lots of different places are or aren’t.
“Keep an eye on the Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office website, that’s the FCDO, they’re the people who can issue ‘do not travel’ warnings. And for goodness’ sake, make sure that you’ve got your travel insurance in place when you book your holiday.
“This is the advice that me and other consumer experts give, because something could happen before you go and you’d need to make a claim.”
Package holidays
Package breaks – where holidaymakers purchase their flights and lodging in a single booking from the same provider – are frequently more economical and generally regarded as being a more secure choice. The explanation for this is that numerous packages are safeguarded by the Atol scheme or the Package Travel Regulations (PRTs).
Any package holiday booked in the UK automatically comes with the protection of the PTRs, whilst package holidays that include a flight are safeguarded by Atol. All travel firms selling package holidays with flights to UK customers are legally obliged to hold an Atol licence.
This ensures people are brought home during a crisis. When the original Thomas Cook went under in 2019, nearly 150,000 holidaymakers were flown back by the UK government in the largest repatriation in the UK’s peacetime history.
You will also receive a refund if your package holiday is cancelled, and be compensated if various factors result in a subpar trip.
“So we’ve covered flights, but package holidays, you’re much better protected with a package holiday because most of them, anyway, are reaching out proactively, I’m hearing, to customers who do have packages booked to the Middle East,” Claer continued.
“And most of them are offering people for no charge the ability to either move their holiday dates or, in many cases, change destination, you know, so you still have your holiday but you go somewhere else. So speak to your tour operator and see what they can do for you.”
They warned: “We anticipate cancellations will continue for at least a week, as reported by the airlines.”
Emirates, who operate out of Dubai, is still suspending operations, said they were offering a “reduced flight schedule until further notice”.
They warned: “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.”
Anyone without a confirmed flight booking is being warned not to travel to the airport.
Qatar Airways has still suspended flights from Doha due to the closure of the Qatari airspace, with another update tomorrow at 6am.
Some limited relief flights are being operated from Muscat to Europe, including a flight to London Heathrow.
However the airline also warns: “Passengers are kindly requested not to proceed to the airport unless they have received an official notification from Qatar Airways for these flights.”
All Etihad Airways flights are suspended until at least 6am tomorrow.
The Abu Dhabi-based airline has launched some limited repositioning and repatriation flights, which has include the UK.
British Airways says they are “unable to operate flights from Abu Dhabi, Amman, Bahrain, Doha, Dubai and Tel Aviv”.
Some limited routes are operating from Muscat.
Virgin Atlantic has relaunched flights from Dubai and Riyadh.
Everything you need to know about travel to Cyprus right nowCredit: Alamy
Here is everything you need to know about travelling to Cyprus right now.
Is Cyprus safe to travel to?
Cyprus is still on the safe travel list, with no areas deemed too dangerous for travel.
However, there is some updated advice following the RAF base attack.
The UK Foreign Office website currently states: “On March 2, 2026, the Sovereign Base Areas Administration confirmed a suspected drone impact at RAF Akrotiri.
“British nationals in the Sovereign Base Areas should follow instructions from the Sovereign Base Areas Administration British Bases Cyprus Facebook British nationals in the Republic of Cyprus should follow any instructions from Cypriot local authorities.”
This is mainly for Brits living in the area, rather than tourists in the resorts of Larnaca and Paphos.
The latest travel advice for the rest of Cyprus states: “Regional escalation poses significant security risks and has led to travel disruption.”
EasyJet and British Airways cancelled a number of flights from the UK on Monday and Tuesday.
Today, easyJet cancelled four flights from the UK today – London Gatwick flight to Larnaca, as well as flights from Bristol, Manchester and Edinburgh to Paphos.
A TUI spokesperson told Sun Travel: “In light of the evolving situation in the Middle East, we have taken the decision to cancel the four TUI Airways flights scheduled to travel to Cyprus on March 4.
British Airways cancelled its London Heathrow flight to Larnaca today as well.
Brits with flights later this week should keep on eye on the current status as they could still be cancelled at short notice.
What if I have a holiday booked to Cyprus?
With travel still deemed safe in Cyprus, holidays are still going ahead.
If you decide to cancel, you will be left out of pocket as tour operators are under no obligation to issue a refund.
The Sun’s Head of Travel Lisa Minot said: “Only if the advice were to change, would your travel company have to offer you the chance to amend your travel to a different date or offer you a full refund.
“We have had lots of questions about holidays to Cyprus – both Larnaca and Paphos, later in June, July and September and the advice really remains the same.
“Unless you have paid a minimal deposit, you should continue to make payments.
“If you cancel now you could lose money – and discover that holidays are significantly more expensive when you look to book again.”
“What is important is to make sure you have bought good travel insurance NOW to cover you in the run up to your holiday dates. A lot can happen in the coming months.”
Flights remain cancelled although airlines are starting limited repatriation routesCredit: Shutterstock EditorialSome passengers have returned to the UK from Abu DhabiCredit: PA
This lead to the closure of both major airports and, being major flight hubs, resulted in hundreds of thousands of passengers stranded abroad.
While some parts of the airspace are still closed, some airlines have confirmed a few flights will start taking off.
Emirates, one of the worst affected airlines being based in Dubai, confirmed a “limited number of passenger repatriation and freighter flights” will take off today.
This includes seven flights to the UK, to London Heathrow, London Gatwick, Manchester and Edinburgh.
However, they warned that this was for passengers with earlier bookings.
Otherwise the airline warned: “All scheduled Emirates flights to and from Dubai remain suspended until 12pm UAE time on March 4, due to airspace closures across the region.
“Please do not go to the airport unless you have been notified directly by Emirates, or hold a confirmed booking for these flights.”
Virgin Atlantic has also launched relaunched flight from Dubai and Riyadh back to the UK.
They said: “Following our latest assessments and in line with guidance from international aviation authorities, some of our flights are now operating in the region.”
And Etihad confirmed that some repositioning and repatriation flights had taken.
But they also warned that flights were suspended until at least 2pm on March 5.
British Airways is yet to restart flights from the Middle East.
Qatar Airways confirmed flights from Doha are yet to relaunch, with another update to take place on Friday.
They confirmed: “Qatar Airways flight operations remain temporarily suspended due to the closure of Qatari airspace.
“Qatar Airways will resume operations once the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority announces the safe reopening of Qatari airspace.
“A further update will be provided on March 6 by 9am Doha time (6am UTC).”
Despite this, hundreds of thousands of people are still stranded abroad.
Tourists in destinations such as Thailand, Sri Lanka, Maldives and Bali are being forced to look at alternative routes home due to the ongoing Dubai and Doha closures.
The Sun’s Head of Travel explains your rights if affected by the cancellations
For passengers meant to be flying in or out of the region, your rights depend on whether you were flying directly in or out of the UK or EU or if you are flying with an UK or EU airline.
Those who are will not get compensation as it is not the fault of the airline but they do have a duty of care to look after impacted passengers – depending on the length of the delay that could include food and drink, a means of communicating and if necessary, overnight accommodation.
Those flying on non-UK or EU carriers may find their rights are slightly different if they are not on a direct flight to the UK as different rules apply and you may not be provided with the same assistance.
They are, however, expected to offer you the right to a refund or another flight in the case of cancellations.
As well as those directly impacted by cancelled flights, the closure of so much of the Middle Eastern airspace will mean even more congestion on alternative routes that could impact flights across the globe.
For those due to travel in the coming days, staying in contact with your airline and checking before travelling to the airport is essential as schedules may change at short notice.
If the advice were to change, your travel company would have to offer you the chance to amend your travel to a different date or offer you a full refund.
We have had lots of questions about holidays to Cyprus – both Larnaca and Paphos, later in June, July and September and the advice really remains the same.
Unless you have paid a minimal deposit, you should continue to make payments. If you cancel now you could lose money – and discover that holidays are significantly more expensive when you look to book again.
What is important is to make sure you have bought good travel insurance NOW to cover you in the run up to your holiday dates. A lot can happen in the coming months.
Take the time to enquire about what you would be covered for in terms of delays and cancellations as these can vary from policy to policy.
Will this affect holidays in Egypt? We’re due to fly there in May for our honeymoon
While it is very understandable that travellers would be a little nervous of the proximity of Egypt to the current crisis, the popular Egyptian Red Sea resorts of Sharm El Sheikh, Hurgahda and Marsa Alam as well as the majority of Egypt including ancient cities of Cairo and Luxor are NOT under any Foreign Office travel ban.
While no one can predict what is going to happen in the region, it is currently considered safe to travel to these destinations and your tour operator or airline is under no obligation to refund you if you chose not to travel.
Hurghada and Marsa Alam are hundreds of miles away from the conflict zone and holidays there should not be impacted at all.
Increased flights from the UK and an ever greater number of new luxury resorts mean it still offers guaranteed sunshine for all budgets.
I travelled to Luxor, Hurghada and Marsa Alam in February and could not have felt safer with the Egyptians taking security very seriously.
Is Greece safe to travel, being so close to Turkey?
Yes Greece is safe to travel to – and is not under any UK Foreign Office travel warnings.
The main popular tourist resorts in both Greece and Turkey are many thousands of miles from the current problems in the Middle East.
If you choose to cancel a holiday you have already made payments on you will NOT get your money back as your travel company is under no legal obligation to refund you.
A refund is only triggered if the Foreign Office advises against all travel or all but essential travel.
Again, ensuring you have fully comprehensive travel insurance from the moment you make your booking is really important to give you added protection in the run up to your trip.
We’ve had questions from Sun readers looking at trips to Corfu and Rhodes this summer – they should be reassured that the chance of holidays to these islands being impacted, while not impossible, is extremely unlikely.
Greece remains safe to travel to, with holidays and flights not affectedCredit: Alamy
Will travel disruption escalate to the Canary Islands travel from the UK?
While nothing can be guaranteed in these extraordinary times, there is nothing whatsoever to lead me to think that the current crisis will have any impact at all on holidays to the Canary Islands from the UK.
It is understandable that people are worried about the situation, but all of the Canary Islands – along with the rest of Spain – remain on the Foreign Office’s safe to travel list and there is no indication this will change at all.
There is not any worry about international travel as a whole at the moment and airlines and tour operators take the safety and security of their passengers extremely seriously.
There should be no issues with travel this summer, where lots of Sun readers are looking forward to holidays.
Are Turkey resorts affected? We have a holiday booked for half-term
No – at present Turkey is not impacted at all by the current situation.
While there are Foreign Office bans on travel to the border between Turkey and Syria, the entire rest of the country is safe to travel to.
The popular coastal resorts of Dalaman, Bodrum, Antalya, Side, Marmaris and more are many thousands of miles from the conflict zone.
As the advice is that it is safe to travel, tour operators and airlines are under no obligation to offer you a refund if you choose not to travel. If you decide to cancel your trip, you will lose any money you have paid.
While some people may feel uneasy, the distances involved mean it is extremely unlikely that anything would impact your holiday.
With all package holidays, you have enhanced protection should the situation change.
If the Foreign Office changes its advice to all but essential travel, you will have extra rights to a refund or amended date.
But right now, that is not necessary as trips to the popular Mediterranean Turkish resorts are safe.
We am due to fly to Dubai March 12-18, having paid £6,000 for a package through Emirates. Do you know where I stand with cancelling?
With the huge popularity of holidays to Dubai – more than 1.47MILLION British travellers headed to the Emirate in 2025 – the Foreign Office now advising against all but essential travel will have a huge impact on those with upcoming holidays.
As the situation remains so uncertain, airlines and travel companies are dealing with upcoming bookings on a rolling basis – prioritising those who are due to travel soonest first.
As of today, passengers with bookings up to March 10 can request a refund directly from Emirates via an online form – and you should expect to receive that refund within a week.
But as your holiday doesn’t depart until March 12 you will have to contact Emirates directly to see if they will allow you to amend your booking or get a refund.
I totally appreciate that this is going to be challenging with many hundreds of thousands of travellers looking to rebook flights and holidays.
Right now, British Airways Holidays are offering rebooking options for those travelling up to March 8 to request a refund.
Those travelling up to March 15 can change their holiday dates or destination free of charge if they depart before March 29.
If you amend to a holiday that is more expensive, you’ll have to pay the difference. If it is cheaper, BA will refund you the difference.
Those travelling after March 15 can change their booking up to 14 days before travel for a fee of £100 or if within 14 days of travel for a fee of £500.
Virgin Atlantic Holidays has the same options in place for the same dates.
If you have bought travel insurance – and I really do recommend everyone does this from the MOMENT they book their holiday – it would be a good idea to contact them as well to see if there is anything you can claim for.
Anyone with holidays from April onwards, I recommend keeping an eye on the current travel advice, but do not cancel holidays unless you want to be out of pocket.
Emirates passengers travelling via Dubai in the upcoming days will be contactedCredit: Reuters
My daughter is due to return from Mauritius via Dubai on March 5 with Emirates Airlines. Will this be possible & what are her options?
Emirates has only suspended flights until midnight on March 4.
However this is likely to be extended as they are currently only operating repatriation flights for passengers who are stranded in Dubai.
It is advised for your daughter to contact Emirates and see if there is an alternative way to travel home.
Emirates must provide her with an alternative flight home, or a refund.
However, be aware that if she accepts a refund, your daughter will have to pay for her own alternative flight home which might be quicker, but much more expensive and she will not be able to claim the difference back from Emirates.
Air Mauritius offers direct flights from Mauritius to UK, otherwise airlines with non-Dubai stopovers include Air France (stopover in Paris) and Lufthansa (stopover in Frankfurt).
I have a long-haul holiday planned later this year, stopping in the Middle East. Should I cancel my trip or find another airline?
We have had lots of questions from you about upcoming holidays with stopovers in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Qatar – seeing as they’re huge hub airports for Emirates, Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways, this isn’t surprising.
This includes destinations such as Thailand, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Bali, China, Vietnam, Australia and Pakistan.
If you have partly paid for your holidays for any of the above destinations, you must still pay the remaining balance or you will be left out of pocket.
It is only if the UK Foreign Office advises against any travel to these destinations that you will be able to cancel a holiday for a refund.
Unless you are travelling in the next few days, it is likely the holidays will still go ahead.
If you are wary of booking a stop over in the Middle East, then other popular destinations include Singapore, with Singapore Airlines, or Hong Kong, with Cathay Pacific and Istanbul with Turkish Airlines.
I’m confused about the government advice and where travel companies stand – surely a holiday shouldn’t be classed as “essential travel”?
I appreciate the travel warnings can be slightly confusing, so I’ll break them down for you.
There are two travel warnings from the UK Foreign Office – “against all but essential travel” and “against all travel”.
If the advice is against all travel, package holiday companies and airlines have to give you a refund.
If the advice is against all but essential travel the legal standing is a little more complicated.
However, most travel companies will offer to refund or amend your booking as they recognise they will not be able to provide you with the trip you purchased due to exceptional circumstances.
Most holidays in Europe – including Spain and Greece – are unaffectedCredit: Getty
FLIGHTS are continuing to be cancelled as the travel chaos caused by the Middle East conflict enters a fourth day.
Limited flights were permitted to take off last night, which included an Etihad flight from Abu Dhabi to London.
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Flights are continuing to be cancelled today across the Middle EastCredit: AFPAirlines are warning passengers not to travel to the airport unless contactedCredit: Reuters
According to data from aviation analytics firm Cirium, around 73 flights are scheduled from the UK to the Middle East, working out to nearly 25,000 passengers affected today.
Emirates, which operates out of Dubai, confirmed that “limited flights” took off yesterday.
However, this was only for passengers with earlier bookings, and only those who are being contacted by Emirates.
They warned: “Please do not go to the airport unless you have been notified.
“All other flights remain suspended until further notice.”
Etihad also operated limited flights yesterday across Asia and Europe, which included a flight to London.
However, most scheduled flights to and from Abu Dhabi are suspended until at least 2pm tomorrow.
In a statement, it confirmed: “Passengers should not travel to the airport unless they have been contacted directly by Etihad Airways and advised to do so.”
Qatar Airways confirmed this morning that flight operations were “still suspended due to the closure of the Qatari airspace”.
It added: “Qatar Airways will resume operations once the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority announces the safe reopening of Qatari airspace.
“A further update will be provided on March 4 by 9am Doha time.”
Virgin Atlantic has cancelled its Dubai to London flight today but has not yet confirmed any cancellations tomorrow.
And British Airways said they have “cancelled a number of our flights to the Middle East”.
Most airlines are allowing passengers to ask for a full refund, or can move their flights to a later date without any additiona charge.
Yesterday, the General Civil Aviation Authority in the UAE – in a very rare move – confirmed that the state would cover all accommodation and hosting costs for stranded passengers.
Most airports remain closed in the UAE and Qatar due to the airspace closuresCredit: Reuters
The Sun’s Head of Travel explains your rights if affected by the cancellations
For passengers meant to be flying in or out of the region, your rights depend on whether you were flying directly in or out of the UK or EU or if you are flying with an UK or EU airline.
Those who are will not get compensation as it is not the fault of the airline but they do have a duty of care to look after impacted passengers – depending on the length of the delay that could include food and drink, a means of communicating and if necessary, overnight accommodation.
Those flying on non-UK or EU carriers may find their rights are slightly different if they are not on a direct flight to the UK as different rules apply and you may not be provided with the same assistance.
They are, however, expected to offer you the right to a refund or another flight in the case of cancellations.
As well as those directly impacted by cancelled flights, the closure of so much of the Middle Eastern airspace will mean even more congestion on alternative routes that could impact flights across the globe.
For those due to travel in the coming days, staying in contact with your airline and checking before travelling to the airport is essential as schedules may change at short notice.
This means anyone still stuck in Dubai or Abu Dhabi will be able to stay at hotels free of charge, as well as not pay for any additional costs like food and drink.
Dubai Airport has grounded all flights due to the airspace closureCredit: AFPPassengers have been left stranded abroad, including thousands of BritsCredit: Reuters
According to Cirium, around 5,340 flights across the Middle East have been cancelled this week.
There are 539 flights scheduled from the UK to the Middle East this week which works out to 180,000 seats.
UK-based aviation consultant John Strickland called the disruption “unprecedented” – with it being a similar chaos level of the Covid pandemic.
He told the Press Association: “We’ve had other conflicts in the region, but not, I think, really in the scale of military conflict or scale of activity that we have now with the Gulf carriers.”
So here is everything you need to know about the airlines and tour operators cancelling flights to and from the UK, as well as until when.
British Airways
British Airways has cancelled a number of flights to the Middle East, which includes from London Heathrow to Dubai, Doha, Abu Dhabi and Amman.
They aid in a statement: “We have cancelled flights to Amman, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Dubai, Doha and Tel Aviv up to and including the 03 March and today’s Larnaca service.
We are closely monitoring the situation and have cancelled a number of our flights to the Middle East.
“Safety is always our top priority and we would never operate a flight unless it was safe to do so.”
They added: “If you are due to fly between London Heathrow and Abu Dhabi, Amman, Bahrain, Doha, Dubai or Tel Aviv up to and including 15 March you can change your flight date free of charge to travel on or before 29 March.
“Customers travelling up to and including 8 March may also request a full refund.”
Virgin Atlantic
A number of Virgin Atlantic flights have been cancelled, with others rerouted.
The airline states: “Due to the escalation of conflict in the Middle East, we have rerouted some of our flights and taken the decision to cancel some of our upcoming services between London Heathrow and Dubai, as well as services between London Heathrow and Riyadh.”
Four have already been cancelled, with one to Dubai and one to Riyadh today also cancelled from London Heathrow.
They also said: “We are actively reviewing our flying programme each day and doing everything we reasonably can to minimise disruption.
“Our teams are identifying alternative solutions, securing available capacity and rebooking customers wherever possible, while ensuring safety remains our absolute priority.”
Virgin Atlantic has cancelled more flights to the Middle East todayCredit: Getty
Emirates
Emirates has cancelled all flights to and from Dubai until at least tomorrow, although this is likely to be extended.
In a statement, they said: “Due to multiple regional airspace closures, Emirates has temporarily suspended all operations to and from Dubai, up until 1500hrs UAE time on Tuesday, 3 March.
“We urge all customers to check flight status before proceeding to the airport.”
Passengers affected are being given two options – one being to rebook on another flight to the intended destination by March 20.
Or, passengers can get a full refund – although if you are already on holiday, this means they no longer have a duty of care for you when it comes to booking your flight home.
Qatar Airways
The airline, based out of Qatar, has cancelled all flights to and from Doha.
The airline said: “Qatar Airways flights to, and from, Doha have been temporarily suspended due to the closure of Qatari airspace.”
This is likely to affect passengers using Doha as a base for connections, with it operating flights across Asia.
Etihad Airways
Etihad Airways flights are affected to and from Abu Dhabi.
The airline said: “Regional airspace closures continue to impact Etihad Airways’ operations, and all flights to and from Abu Dhabi are suspended until 14:00 UAE time on Monday 2 March.”
Passengers can either rebook for free up until March 18, if travelling up until March 7.
Anyone travelling up until tomorrow can request a refund.
Etihad Airways have suspended flights to and from Abu DhabiCredit: Alamy
TUI
Brits with TUIholidays booked will also be affected, especially if flying to or via the UAE.
This is likely to affect holidays to Dubai, as well as to Thailand, Vietnam and Jordan.
The TUI website currently states: “Due to Airspace restrictions in parts of the region, some flights to and from the UK have been impacted and may experience delays and cancellations.”
For passengers meant to be flying in or out of the region, your rights depend on whether you were flying directly in or out of the UK or EU or if you are flying with an UK or EU airline.
Those who are will not get compensation as it is not the fault of the airline but they do have a duty of care to look after impacted passengers – depending on the length of the delay that could include food and drink, a means of communicating and if necessary, overnight accommodation.
Those flying on non-UK or EU carriers may find their rights are slightly different if they are not on a direct flight to the UK as different rules apply and you may not be provided with the same assistance.
They are, however, expected to offer you the right to a refund or another flight in the case of cancellations.
As well as those directly impacted by cancelled flights, the closure of so much of the Middle Eastern airspace will mean even more congestion on alternative routes that could impact flights across the globe.
For those due to travel in the coming days, staying in contact with your airline and checking before travelling to the airport is essential as schedules may change at short notice.
Loveholidays
Loveholidays is also cancelling holidays to any of the affected areas, which includes the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait.
They said in a statement: “We’re aware of the developing situation in parts of the Middle East and understand that you may be concerned about how this could affect your holiday.
“The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) has updated its advice and is now advising against all but essential travel to United Arab Emirates (UAE) – including Dubai and Abu Dhabi – Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar.
“As a result, holidays and connecting flights due to travel to these destinations will be impacted while this advice remains in place.
“We have made the difficult decision to cancel all holidays to or via impacted areas of the Middle East departing up to and including 7 March 2026.
“Our team is starting to process full refunds for these holidays and will contact you directly.”
Anyone already in these destinations is advised to contact their airline.
Brits should contact their airlines if they have flights to any of the affected destinationsCredit: Reuters
More than 60 flights have been cancelled to and from CyprusCredit: Alamy
This includes 42 flights to Larnaca, and 18 flights to Paphos, according to Hermes Airport who operates them both.
Local media previously reported that all easyJet flights were cancelled between the UK and Cyprus until Thursday, however the airline confirmed just three have been cancelled so far today.
An easyJet spokesperson said: “Due to the events overnight affecting the RAF base in Akrotiri in Cyprus, as a precaution, three return flights between Paphos and Larnaca and the UK today will not be operating.
“Flights from March 3 are currently operating as planned but we would advise customers due to travel to and from Cyprus over the coming days to check our flight tracker for the latest information.
“We are doing all we can to minimise the impact for our customers and are providing options for rebooking including on other airlines or a refund as well as hotel accommodation and meals for those who require them.
“The safety of our customers and crew is our highest priority and we continue to closely monitor the security situation in the region.”
Dubai Airport – one of the world’s busiest with up to 2,500 flights a day – remains closed for the third day running.
British Airways has cancelled a number of flights to the Middle East, which includes from London Heathrow to Dubai, Doha, Abu Dhabi and Amman.
A number of Virgin Atlantic flights have been cancelled to the UAE, with others rerouted.
Flight compensation rules
A look at your rights if a flight is delayed or cancelled, when your entitled to compensation and if your travel insurance can cover the costs.
What are my rights if my flight is cancelled or delayed?
Under UK law, airlines have to provide compensation if your flight arrives at its destination more than three hours late.
If you’re flying to or from the UK, your airline must let you choose a refund or an alternative flight.
You will be able to get your money back for the part of your ticket that you haven’t used yet.
So if you booked a return flight and the outbound leg is cancelled, you can get the full cost of the return ticket refunded.
But if travelling is essential, then your airline has to find you an alternative flight. This could even be with another airline.
When am I not entitled to compensation?
The airline doesn’t have to give you a refund if the flight was cancelled due to reasons beyond their control, such as extreme weather.
Disruptions caused by things like extreme weather, airport or air traffic control employee strikes or other ‘extraordinary circumstances’ are not eligible for compensation.
Some airlines may stretch the definition of “extraordinary circumstances” but you can challenge them through the aviation regulator the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).
Will my insurance cover me if my flight is cancelled?
If you can’t claim compensation directly through the airline, your travel insurance may refund you.
Policies vary so you should check the small print, but a delay of eight to 12 hours will normally mean you qualify for some money from your insurer.
Remember to get written confirmation of your delay from the airport as your insurer will need proof.
If your flight is cancelled entirely, you’re unlikely to be covered by your insurance.
Etihad, Emirates and Qatar Airways passengers are also all facing cancelled flights.
This stunning resort town offers the perfect combination of beautiful beaches, vibrant nightlife and exceptional value for money with cheap flights and affordable pints – what’s not to love?
This resort town is a traveller’s dream destination(Image: wallix via Getty Images)
Despite the tourism explosion witnessed over recent decades, this dynamic resort has succeeded in preserving its authentic appeal and distinctive personality, positioning it as the perfect spot for those wanting to effortlessly jet away without breaking the bank.
Perched on Fuerteventura’s northern extremity in the Canary Islands, Corralejo delivers a bright and cheerful holiday experience packed with countless entertaining pursuits, reports the Express.
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Within La Oliva’s municipality, Corralejo’s surrounding landscape proves both extraordinary and spectacular – golden-white sand dunes, rugged volcanic terrain and seaside ambience blended with historic town character.
Corralejo merges its classic maritime heritage with a youthful and dynamic spirit, offering holidaymakers the perfect combination. Getting to this resort on Fuerteventura’s northern coastline is a doddle – and won’t break the bank.
Direct one-way flights from London Stansted Airport and London Luton Airport to Fuerteventura Airport in early March cost as little as £27, with a free allowance for one cabin bag included.
And it’s not just the airfare that’s easy on the wallet – a refreshing pint will set you back a mere £1.70 in this stunning tropical haven. Combine that with Fuerteventura’s glorious 21C March temperatures, and you’ve got all the ingredients for the perfect early spring escape.
Nestled just across the water from the breathtaking – and tiny – island of Los Lobos, the resort town of Corralejo is as postcard-perfect as it gets. Brimming with outstanding restaurants, delightful boutiques, and buzzing bars, it truly is the complete package.
A resort town with humble beginnings
Corralejo was once nothing more than a traditional fishing village, home to a handful of residents and little else. In fact, right up until the 1950s, the entire town boasted only around 11 surnames and a modest population of just over 100 people.
From those quiet beginnings, the resort has grown beyond all recognition to become what it is today: Fuerteventura’s most beloved tourist destination.
The area encompassing Corralejo and its iconic surrounding dunes was also where conqueror and crusader Gadifer de la Salle and his expedition first set foot on Fuerteventura back in 1402.
According to folklore handed down through the ages, Corralejo’s origins trace back to approximately 1810, though some historians argue that genuine settlement didn’t occur until at least the 1850s.
The earliest residents are known to have built their homes using stone and readily available materials sourced from the surrounding area.
Corralejo remained a modest fishing hamlet until the mid-20th century, with its economy and inhabitants heavily reliant upon the neighbouring municipality of La Oliva and goods shipped in from overseas.
Throughout much of its unassuming past, Corralejo existed as an unremarkable fishing settlement where a small number of impoverished fishermen toiled long hours to support their households.
The early 1970s marked the beginning of Corralejo’s tourism explosion, as its magnificent beaches and breathtaking dunes (at last) began drawing holidaymakers to its spectacular coastline.
Things to do in Corralejo
This Fuerteventura destination proves ideal for watersports, especially windsurfing and kitesurfing, thanks to the region’s reliable winds and perfect wave conditions.
Scuba diving, water skiing, jet skiing and snorkelling also rank amongst favourite pursuits for tourists, courtesy of Corralejo’s superb translucent waters.
Adjacent to the harbour, Town Beach (Playa del Viejo) suits those based in or around the town centre, whilst the Galera Beach vicinity and Waikiki Beach located at the town’s core are renowned for their tranquil waters, vibrant beach bars, and convivial ambience.
Playa Vista Lobos is another essential destination, renowned for its distinctive ‘popcorn’ shoreline and spectacular vistas of Lobos Island visible from the coast.
Flag Beach and Glass Beach are perfect spots for enthusiasts keen to enjoy windsurfing or kitesurfing.
The Corralejo Dunes, or Grandes Playas, nestled within the sprawling 11-kilometre Corralejo Natural Park, stand out as arguably the resort’s most celebrated attraction – and justifiably so.
The unspoilt white sand dunes form an untouched coastal haven unlike anywhere else, cementing its status as an essential destination for anyone exploring Corralejo.
Stunning panoramas of Los Lobos and neighbouring Lanzarote further enhance the location’s allure. Native plant and animal species thriving within the Natural Park provide an extra treat for nature lovers.
The old town in Corralejo serves as the resort’s beating heart, featuring delightful narrow lanes packed with seafood restaurants and outstanding dining establishments – a haven for culinary enthusiasts.
Corralejo Old Town teems with characteristic whitewashed buildings, intimate bars and independent retailers, alongside a working harbour where fishing boats still operate.
Avenida General Franco, commonly referred to as Main Street, extends from the old town and hosts some of the resort’s most celebrated international restaurants, shopping complexes, and the bustling Music Square.
Visitors can also depart from Corralejo’s harbour to discover the neighbouring volcanic islands of Lobos and Lanzarote, either through glass-bottom boat excursions or by hopping aboard the regularly scheduled ferry services that connect the Canary Islands.
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Simon Calder warned that, even if the major airports reopen, it will take some time for normal service to resume
15:42, 01 Mar 2026Updated 15:43, 01 Mar 2026
Hundreds of thousands of flyers have been disrupted
A travel expert claims international airports currently shut due to military action in Iran could reopen earlier than many anticipate. Journalist Simon Calder shared his forecast whilst boarding a flight from Istanbul, Turkey.
One individual has died and 11 others have been wounded at airports in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Over 3,400 flights have been scrapped and airports in Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), along with Qatar’s capital, Doha, and Manama in Bahrain were among those shuttered.
The Foreign Office is advising British nationals against all but essential travel to Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the UAE. This means hundreds of thousands of travellers are stranded in the region, many of whom are believed to be either British or those attempting to fly to the UK.
In an Instagram video, Mr Calder stated: “The main question is when is the disruption going to stop?”.
“Dubai indefinitely closed; Emirates is kind of saying that sometime on Monday it might start up again. Doha, they’re going to give an update at 6 o’clock British time tomorrow. And Etihad and Abu Dhabi airport, they’re saying, well actually, yeah, we might be opening before that.
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“And I hope that the flight ban and also the travel advice from the Foreign Office saying do not go to these places will be lifted as soon as possible so that people can come back.
“I’m going to say, if you twisted my arm, we will probably see flights start up in the next couple of days but in a small way because, of course, planes and pilots and cabin crew and passengers are all out of position. So it’s going to take some time to get this back to normal and I simply hope that it is done with the maximum energy and indeed money just to try to make sure that people are back when they need to be as soon as possible.”
Mr Calder explained that – aside from the Covid-19 pandemic – disruption on the scale witnessed over the weekend hadn’t been seen since the 2010 Eyjafjallajökull volcano eruption and resulting ash cloud in Iceland.
During that week-long episode, approximately 20 countries shut their airspace to commercial aircraft, affecting roughly 10 million passengers. Mr Calder suggested things weren’t quite that severe ‘yet’ but described these as extraordinary circumstances and warned matters were ‘definitely heading in that direction’.
He also noted that, given the sheer scale of the airports affected and the extent of the chaos, it would require a substantial amount of time for the situation to resolve itself even once flights restarted.
He added: “Just bear in mind that every day that there are no flights going in and out of the world’s busiest international airport, Dubai, and Doha, and Abu Dhabi, that is two and a half thousand flights and about half a million people. The numbers are really staggering.
“Every hour generally, on average, 20,000 people land and depart from those airports, and so you have a massive problem building up. And certainly the numbers haven’t been added to because, of course, people are there, but what’s happening is that people’s holidays are ending and so they are being added to the back of the queue at the airport. It’s a desperate position for them to be in.
“It is going to be quite interesting to see how it is done, because you’ve got to remember that the numbers in Dubai rather exceed the current capacity of them.
“So let’s take a case of an expat who’s booked on the 5th of March, and let’s hope very much that flights are back on the 5th of March. That expat is expected to take her or his seat, and the fact that somebody’s been there for five days and really wants to get home isn’t relevant; it’s whoever’s got the booking in.
“And so I think there may well be shuttle services operated. They might even go to somewhere like Cyprus; they might just take people back and forth to a relatively short-haul destination from where people can board relatively short-haul flights. That would seem to cause the least amount of problem. I
” don’t know if this is going to happen, but I do know that there’s an awful lot of people out there who really want to be somewhere else and heavens, just imagine the stress and upset if you know that there’s somebody across the Gulf who is sending drones and missiles in your direction. A horrible situation for everybody.”
British Airways has cancelled flights to Tel Aviv, Bahrain and Amman with passengers offered free changes or refunds – as travellers are warned they may need to ‘get creative’ amid mass disruption
Flights to and from Dubai International Airport have been cancelled (Image: Getty)
Travellers will need to “get creative” if they want to fly in the coming days, an expert has cautioned, with hundreds of thousands of people stranded or rerouted to alternative airports following widespread airspace closures throughout the Middle East.
Israel, Qatar, Syria, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait and Bahrain have all closed their airspaces. Flight tracking website FlightRadar24 recorded no flight activity over the United Arab Emirates, with the UAE government announcing a “temporary and partial closure” of its airspace.
British Airways has confirmed flights to Tel Aviv and Bahrain will remain suspended until next week, whilst flights to Amman, Jordan, were scrapped on Saturday.
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This resulted in the shutdown of crucial hub airports in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha, and the scrapping of over 1,000 flights by leading Middle Eastern carriers, reports the Express.
The three principal airlines operating from those airports – Emirates, Qatar Airways and Etihad – typically handle approximately 90,000 passengers daily through those hubs, with even greater numbers of travellers bound for Middle Eastern destinations, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium. Dubai international airport ranks as the world’s busiest airport for international flights.
Aviation industry analyst and president of Atmosphere Research Group Henry Harteveldt said, via AP: “For travellers, there’s no way to sugarcoat this… you should prepare for delays or cancellations for the next few days as these attacks evolve and hopefully end.
“Travellers should anticipate that there will be a lot of disruptions,” he said, before adding: “To be honest, if you haven’t left home, chances are you won’t be leaving home if you’re supposed to travel to or through these destinations for at least several days, if not longer. And if you are returning home, you will have to be very creative about how you get home.”
BRITISH AIRWAYS: FULL STATEMENT ON FLIGHTS TO AND FROM THE MIDDLE EAST.
BA released an official statement on its website late on Saturday (February 28) for passengers who may be affected by the rapidly developing situation in the Middle East.
Here is the statement in full:. “We are closely monitoring the situation and have cancelled a number of our flights to the Middle East. Safety is always our top priority and we would never operate a flight unless it was safe to do so.
“If you are due to fly between London Heathrow and Abu Dhabi, Amman, Bahrain, Doha, Dubai or Tel Aviv you can change your flight free of charge up to and including 6 March. Customers travelling up to and including 4 March may also request a full refund.
“Should you wish to do so, please ring our contact centres on 0800 727 800 within the UK or 020 3250 0145 where a member of our team will be happy to assist. You can also find useful information, including details of your consumer rights, at ba.com/helpme..
“Thank you for your understanding and we look forward to welcoming you on board soon.”
BA’s statement comes as airlines serving the Middle East cancelled or diverted flights en masse on Saturday in the wake of US and Israeli airstrikes against on Iran.
Iran hit back by launching a wave of attacks, targeting Israel and four Gulf Arab nations hosting US military bases – Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the UAE.
British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and Wizz Air were amongst the carriers to reduce their schedules to Middle Eastern destinations, citing safety concerns. The UK Foreign Office urged British nationals in Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to immediately shelter in place following explosions.
UK Foreign Office issues advice for Britons trapped in Dubai.
For any Britons currently in the UAE, the Foreign Office released new guidance overnight.
All citizens already present in the UAE are strongly encouraged to notify the UK government by registering their presence to receive further updates as the situation continues to develop across the Middle East. “Due to reported missile attacks, British nationals in the UAE should immediately shelter in place. Remain indoors in a secure location, avoid all travel and follow instructions from the local authorities.”
The FDCO also advised British nationals in the UAE to take sensible precautions, taking into account their own personal circumstances.
– Read the UK Government’s fact sheet If you’re affected by a crisis abroad. This includes guidance on how to prepare for a crisis with suggestions on what you might include in your emergency supplies and what to do in a crisis.
– Follow advice from the local authorities and sign up to receive information and alerts. Read the FDCO fact sheet: National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority’s guidance across numerous emergencies.
– Sign up to FCDO Travel Advice to get email notifications on updates as they happen.
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Airlines serving the Middle East cancelled or diverted a large number of flights on Saturday in the wake of US and Israeli airstrikes against on Iran – Emirates have issued an update
Many passengers are facing delays or cancelled flights to UAE(Image: Anadolu via Getty Images)
Thousands of holidaymakers have been left stranded after aviation giant Emirates axed all flights in and out of Dubai on Saturday.
The ongoing situation in Iran and the Middle East has lead to multiple regional airspace closures over Dubai.
Emirates issued a “red alert” suspension lasting until at least 3pm local time Sunday. The carrier is “actively monitoring” the high-stakes situation as authorities scramble to manage the unfolding crisis. While safety remains the “highest priority,” the move has sparked travel mayhem for those caught in the crossfire.
Airlines serving the Middle East cancelled or diverted a large number of flights on Saturday in the wake of US and Israeli airstrikes against on Iran. British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and Wizz Air were among carriers to scale back their schedules to destinations in the Middle East, citing safety concerns.
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Taking to X an Emirates spokesperson said: “Due to multiple regional airspace closures, Emirates has temporarily suspended all operations to and from Dubai, up until 1500hrs UAE time on Sunday, 1 March. If you are booked to travel in the next 72 hours, your options are:
“Rebook on an alternate flight. You can rebook on another flight to your intended destination up to 10 days from your original date of travel. If you booked your flight with a travel agent, please contact them. If you booked with us directly, contact us.
“Request for refund. You can request for a refund of your ticket by completing the refund form if you booked with us directly. If you booked your flights with a travel agent, please contact them. We urge all customers to check flight status before proceeding to the airport. Customers impacted by flight cancellations must contact their travel agency for rebooking.
“If booked directly with Emirates, please contact us. Customers are requested to ensure their contact details are correct by visiting http://emirat.es/managebooking to receive updates We are actively monitoring the situation and engaging with relevant authorities. We apologise to customers affected by disruptions for any inconvenience caused. The safety and security of our passengers and crew remain our highest priority.”
The update comes in the wake of confirmation from Iran’s state broadcaster that Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was killed in the early hours Sunday local time in US and Israeli aristrikes.
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