Commercial aviation faced its worst single-day disruption since the 2020 pandemic after U.S. and Israeli forces attacked Iran in the early hours of 28 February 2026. Within minutes, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Israel and the United Arab Emirates closed their airspace; Dubai International, the world’s busiest international hub, suspended more than 1,000 flights after sustaining damage from an Iranian retaliatory strike. Reuters data cited by Cirium showed 24 % of all scheduled Middle East departures cancelled, with half of flights to Qatar and Israel grounded. Global carriers from Delta to Lufthansa rerouted Asia-bound services over Egypt or the Caucasus, adding up to five hours to transit times and forcing unplanned fuel stops. For U.S. multinationals, the closures severed a critical East-West bridge used for project work in India, Africa and Southeast Asia. Energy majors evacuated non-essential staff from Gulf projects, while tech giants activated split-team protocols to keep data-centre build-outs on schedule. Travel managers scrambled to rebook hundreds of employees stuck in Doha and Dubai; several Fortune 500 firms placed temporary holds on all Middle East travel. Aviation analysts warn the shutdown could persist if further retaliation follows. Insurance underwriters have already widened the conflict-zone exclusion that was applied to Ukraine and Sudan, meaning airlines—and ultimately passengers—will shoulder higher war-risk premiums. Cargo flows are also hit: Emirates SkyCargo alone moves roughly 6 % of global air freight each day. Travellers still holding tickets are advised not to proceed to airports until airlines confirm operations. Those rerouted through alternative hubs must verify visa or transit-health requirements, which differ from the original itinerary and can trigger denied boarding if overlooked.
Source: Reuters via The Spokesman-Review
