Iran war with Israel and Trump: Airspace closures see UK make plans to bring home 100,00 stranded Britons
Airspace closures in the Middle East are disrupting hundreds of thousands of airline passengers globally – with the UK making plans to bring home some 100,000 stranded Britons.
Several Middle Eastern airports act as hubs for passengers travelling between Europe and the continents of Asia and Australia.
Analytics company Cirium said 1,555 out of 5,340 flights scheduled to operate to the Middle East on Monday were cancelled.
About half a million passengers use airports in Dubai, Doha or Abu Dhabi each day.
Both Belfast City Airport and Belfast International Airport said none of their flights have been impacted.
UK-based aviation consultant John Strickland told the Press Association: “I can’t recall a situation – other than the pandemic – where we’ve had these Gulf hubs out of action in this way before."
Officials are understood to be working on plans for the potential evacuation of more than 100,000 Britons from the Middle East.
British nationals are being advised to follow the instructions of local authorities and monitor the Foreign Office’s travel advice, which officials expect to change rapidly.
Those in Bahrain, Israel, Kuwait, Palestine, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have been urged to register their presence with the Foreign Office online.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer told the Commons: “We’re asking all British citizens in the region to register their presence so we can provide the best possible support and to monitor the Home Office travel advice, which is being regularly updated.”
It is understood the Foreign Office may repatriate Britons by land to Saudi Arabia from where they could board flights.
British Airways said it is “closely monitoring the situation” and has cancelled “a number of our flights to the Middle East”.
Virgin Atlantic axed two flights to Heathrow on Monday – one from each of Dubai, UAE and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – while others were rerouted.
Qatar Airways said that all its flights remain suspended.
Etihad’s flights to and from Abu Dhabi are grounded until at least 10am on Tuesday.
Emirates has suspended all operations to and from Dubai until an hour later.
EasyJet cancelled all its flights between the UK and Cyprus on Monday.