On the night of Saturday February 28, 2026, the USA and Israel launched targeted military strikes on Iranian military sites. Teheran responded by firing missiles and drones at Israel and several Gulf states. Within hours, the skies over the Middle East were closed. As a result, thousands of travellers found themselves stranded, diverted or in total uncertainty.
If you (or someone you know) is currently traveling in the region, here's what you need to know.
Unprecedented air chaos
The figures speak for themselves. According to Flightradar24 data, more than 19,000 flights delayed And 3,400 flights cancelled in a single day at the region's seven main airports. At Doha's Hamad International Airport, boarding gates emptied within hours. In Dubai, queues of stranded passengers waited to book hotel rooms.
The cause: a cascade of airspace closures. As of March 1, airspace closed to civilian flights are as follows: Israel, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan and Lebanon. The United Arab Emirates have also temporarily suspended their airspace, with a partial resumption expected on Sunday March 1 at 3pm local time.
The following countries remain accessible, but under close surveillance: Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Turkey, Oman.
What airlines do
Faced with the scale of the situation, the major companies reacted swiftly. Emirates has suspended all operations to and from Dubai until Tuesday March 4. minimum, and is offering its passengers a full refund or no-cost rescheduling on all flights until March 5. Etihad suspended its flights from Abu Dhabi. Air France cancelled its flights to Tel Aviv, Beirut, Dubai and Riyadh. British Airways is offering its passengers the possibility of modifying their bookings free of charge until March 6 for all affected destinations: Abu Dhabi, Amman, Bahrain, Doha, Dubai and Tel Aviv. Gradual resumption is expected between March 1 and 7, subject to air corridors being secured.
Your rights as a passenger
If your flight has been cancelled due to this airspace closure, here's what you're entitled to:
For flights departing from a European Union country (EU regulation 261/2004): you are entitled to a full refund of your ticket or to be re-routed to your final destination as soon as possible. If you are kept waiting for more than 5 hours, the airline is obliged to provide you with meals, accommodation and transport.
| Important information: keep all your receipts: cancellation confirmation, hotel bills, meal receipts. They will be needed for any claim for reimbursement or compensation. |
Beware of “express compensation” at the airport: don't sign none final compensation voucher before you have received what is owed to you in full.
If you are already on site
For travellers currently in the countries concerned, the French authorities recommend to’avoid non-essential travel and keep up to date via the diplomatie.gouv.fr and the consular register Ariane (ariane.gouv.fr), which enables the French embassy to locate and contact you in an emergency. Each country has its own equivalent for its nationals.
🇫🇷 France
In Israel (Tel Aviv)
📞 +972 (0)3 766 17 17
In Jerusalem / On the West Bank
📞 +972 (0)2 629 85 00
In Iran
+98 21 64 09 40 00
contact.teheran-amba@diplomatie.gouv.fr
In Abu Dhabi
📞 +971 28 13 10 01
In Dubai
📞 +971 44 08 49 06
In Qatar
📞 +974 6684 5048
(Qatar Airways crisis center: +974 4144 5555)
In Bahrain
📞 +973 17 298 660 / +973 39 79 97 54
✉️ crise.manama-amba@ambafrance-anmo.fr
In Jordan
📞 +962 6 460 46 31 (landline)
📞 +962 777 604 901 (mobile)
Number universal consular emergency : +33 1 30 17 67 67 (24h/24)
🇧🇪 Belgium
FPS Foreign Affairs crisis line (24/7)
📞 +32 2 501 40 00
Registration : travellersonline.diplomatie.be
(Minister Prévot: “several thousand Belgians in the region”)
🇨🇦 Canada
Global Affairs Canada - Consular emergency (24h/24)
📞 +1 613 996 8885 (from abroad)
📞 1 800 387 3124 (from Canada, toll-free)
⚠️ No Canadian embassy in Iran - extremely limited services
Registration : travel.gc.ca
🇩🇪 Germany
Auswärtiges Amt - Bürgertelefon (24h/24)
📞 +49 30 1817 2727
ELEFAND registration (crisis list) : krisenvorsorgeliste.diplo.de
(Reisewarnung in force: Israel, Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Qatar, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Saudi Arabia, UAE)
🇨🇭 Swiss
FDFA - Helpline (24h/24)
📞 +41 800 24 7 365 (toll-free from Switzerland)
📞 +41 58 465 33 33 (from abroad)
Registration : itineris.eda.admin.ch
🇮🇹 Italy
Farnesina - Crisis unit (24h/24)
📞 +39 06 3691 1 (standard Farnesina)
📞 +39 06 3691 2200 (direct crisis cell)
App: Viaggiare Sicuri (iOS/Android)
Registration : dovesiamonelmondo.it
(Gulf Task Force activated by Minister Tajani)
🇪🇸 Spain
MAEC - Consular emergency (24h/24)
📞 +34 91 379 9700
Registration : registroviajeros.exteriores.gob.es
✉️ WATER specifically: emb.abudhabi@maec.es
The visa issue
The visas currently being processed for the affected countries are de facto suspended In this context, there is no immediate need to contact embassies again, as they are no longer able to process applications. Visas already obtained remain valid - their validity date does not automatically end in the event of conflict.
For travellers who have to transit through third countries such as Turkey or Egypt, which have become the main alternative hubs, strong pressure on transit visas is expected. If you don't yet have your visa for these stopovers, expect longer delays than usual.
| Now what? – Check your flight status on your company's application – Contact your airline to obtain a refund or postponement, don't wait passively – Notify your travel insurance because some contracts cover unforeseen accommodation expenses and cancellations due to conflicts – See travel advice from your government before travelling to the region |
The situation remains highly scalable. Visamundi follows the news in real time and updates this article as developments occur. If you have any questions about your current visas, contact our team.
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