Airspace closures across parts of West Asia amid escalating hostilities between Iran, the United States and Israel have left thousands of passengers stranded, including hundreds of Indians, as flight operations were suspended in several countries.

The heart of the chaos is in the Middle East, where airports in Dubai, Doha, and Abu Dhabi serve as megahubs for global connecting traffic.

Dubai travel advisory 2026: Travel plans to the UAE have been thrown into uncertainty after regional tensions led to flight suspensions, airspace closures, and thousands of passengers being stranded across key transit hubs.

Photo taken by a Chinese tourist showing smoke rising at Kuwait International Airport after a drone attack on February 28, 2026. Photo: Courtesy of Chinese tourist in Kuwait. From

Among Indian carriers, Air India suspended all Middle East operations and later also cancelled India-Europe and India-US flights scheduled for Sunday. IndiGo is learnt to have cancelled at least 72 flights;

Passengers faced significant disruptions at Delhi's IGI Airport due to flight cancellations and delays stemming from Middle East geopolitical tensions and airspace closures. One passenger reported a 14-hour wait with no updates after their flight to Saudi Arabia was cancelled.

The Black Queens are stranded in the United Arab Emirates after airspace closures across the Middle East forced the cancellation of numerous international flights.

The disruptions stem from recent Israeli and US strikes on Iranian military and nuclear facilities, prompting threats of retaliation and airspace closures in Iran and Iraq