Hundreds of thousands of travelers stranded following U.S.-Israel attacks on Iran

Hundreds of thousands of travelers were stranded Sunday, scrambling to make new connections and reach airlines after U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran shut down much of the Middle East’s airspace.

Tourists and business travelers crowded airports and hotels, with little information on when flights would resume. Some governments advised citizens to shelter in place. Major hubs like Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Doha—including Dubai International Airport, one of the busiest in the world—were directly affected by strikes, disrupting travel between Europe, Africa, the West, and Asia.

Mohammad Abdul Mannan, waiting at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka, Bangladesh, said he was more concerned about reaching his job than the conflict.

“We have set out to go for work, and we must go,” he said. “My only concern is how to go abroad and how to earn an income.”

Confusion reigned as travelers struggled to get updates online or through jammed phone lines. In Dubai, passengers could hear fighter jets overhead and an explosion when the Fairmont Palm Hotel was hit by a missile.

Many travelers were unable to get updated flight information from tour operators or Emirates, which suspended all flights to and from Dubai until at least Monday afternoon. Louise Herrle and her husband, returning from a tour of Dubai and Abu Dhabi to Pittsburgh, had their flight to Washington canceled with no word on when they could reschedule.

“We’re in the hotel room, we are not leaving it until we know we have a flight out of here,” Herrle said.

Flights Canceled, Airports Remain Closed

Aviation analytics firm Cirium estimated that at least 90,000 passengers change flights daily across Dubai, Doha, and Abu Dhabi on Emirates, Qatar Airways, and Etihad Airways. Airspace or airports in Israel, Qatar, Syria, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, and the UAE were closed, according to flight tracking sites and government agencies.

Over 2,800 flights were canceled Sunday in the Middle East, including some that remained open in Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Egypt. Airports in London, Mumbai, Delhi, Bangkok, Istanbul, Sri Lanka, and Paris also reported dozens of canceled flights. Air India suspended flights to and from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Israel, and Qatar until Tuesday, while Israeli airline EL AL said it is prioritizing returning stranded Israelis once airspace reopens.

Two UAE airports reported missile strikes. Dubai International Airport reported four injuries, while Abu Dhabi’s Zayed International Airport reported one death and seven injuries from a drone strike. Strikes were also reported at Kuwait International Airport. Iran has not publicly claimed responsibility.

Ongoing Disruptions

Airlines are urging passengers to check flight status online and are offering waivers or refunds to affected travelers. “For travelers, there’s no way to sugarcoat this,” said Henry Harteveldt, an airline industry analyst. “You should prepare for delays or cancellations for the next few days as these attacks evolve and hopefully end.”

Mike McCormick, former FAA air traffic official, said airspace could reopen once U.S. and Israeli authorities clarify where military flights are operating and Iran’s missile capabilities are assessed.

The disruption reached far beyond the Middle East. In Bali, Indonesia, over 1,600 tourists were stranded after flights to the region were canceled or postponed. Flights that normally cross the Middle East are being rerouted over Saudi Arabia, causing delays and higher costs.

Kristy Ellmer, an American on business in Dubai, said she was keeping multiple flights booked while avoiding windows during explosions. “You hear a lot of explosions at times, hundreds of them,” she said. “So we just don’t stay near the windows, just in case the glass breaks or there is an impact.”

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