Over 500 Flights Cancelled or Delayed as New Travel Chaos Grips Israel, UAE, Qatar and Turkey at Ben Gurion, Dubai, Hamad and Istanbul Airports by Delta, Air India, United, Emirates, Saudia, Qatar Airways and More

Over 500 flights were cancelled or delayed across Israel, the UAE, Qatar, and Turkey due to escalating regional conflict, missile attacks, and widespread airspace disruptions caused by the intensifying military standoff between Israel and Iran. This unprecedented wave of aviation chaos gripped key international hubs—Ben Gurion, Dubai, Hamad, and Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen—crippling schedules and forcing dozens of airlines to ground their fleets or reroute aircraft in response to rising security threats. Global carriers including Delta, United, Air India, Emirates, Saudia, and Qatar Airways experienced severe operational disruptions as missile salvos, emergency shelter orders, and heightened air defense activity paralyzed civilian air travel. As fears of a broader regional war deepen, passengers across the region are facing sweeping delays, last-minute cancellations, and mounting uncertainty heading into the peak summer travel season.

Ben Gurion Airport, Israel: 53 Flights Cancelled

At the heart of the conflict zone, Ben Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv experienced a high volume of cancellations. A total of 53 flights were cancelled on Saturday, primarily due to safety concerns after Iran launched missile attacks in retaliation for an Israeli airstrike that killed several Iranian officials and nuclear scientists. Despite zero reported delays, several airlines suspended operations entirely.

United Airlines cancelled five flights, marking a complete operational halt for the day. Delta Air Lines and KLM each cancelled 100% of their scheduled flights. FlyDubai, with 10 cancellations, recorded over 60% of its daily operations affected. Regional carriers such as Israir, El Al, and Cyprus Airways also reported total cancellations on select routes.

Dubai International and Sharjah Airports, UAE: 362 Disruptions Combined

The UAE’s aviation sector saw the most severe operational impact. Dubai International Airport, a major global hub, reported 85 cancellations and 184 delays, leading to 269 total disruptions—the highest single-airport figure in the region. Sharjah International Airport, another key UAE hub, logged 34 cancellations and 23 delays, bringing the national total to 362 flight disruptions.

FlyDubai, based out of Dubai, was among the hardest-hit airlines, cancelling 62 flights and delaying 57 more, affecting nearly one in every five of its operations. Emirates, the country’s flagship carrier, recorded 16 cancellations and a staggering 86 delays. Additional disruptions were logged by Air India, Air India Express, SpiceJet, Saudia, and Royal Jordanian, reflecting a regional ripple effect even on airlines not directly operating in Israel.

Hamad International Airport, Qatar: 105 Disruptions

In Doha, Hamad International Airport saw a wave of complications, with 22 cancellations and 83 delays, totaling 105 flight disruptions. Qatar Airways, the country’s state carrier, accounted for the bulk of these, cancelling 22 flights and delaying 74—12% of its day’s schedule. Smaller-scale delays were reported from Finnair, China Southern, Jazeera Airways, and Virgin Australia.

Though Qatar has maintained a neutral diplomatic stance in the Israel-Iran conflict, rising regional instability and overflight risks prompted airlines to either reroute or suspend routes through Qatari airspace.

Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport, Turkey: 68 Flights Affected

Turkey’s Sabiha Gökçen Airport in Istanbul registered 15 cancellations and 53 delays, with most issues stemming from regional carriers. Pegasus Airlines led the disruption count with 34 delays and 15 cancellations, while Turkish Airlines reported 10 delays but managed to avoid any cancellations.

Though Turkey is geographically removed from the immediate missile strike zones, the sheer volume of connecting flights through its airports resulted in ripple effects. Flight crews, aircraft repositioning, and regional detour protocols all contributed to operational delays.

Why the Flight Disruptions Are Happening

The sweeping wave of over 500 flight cancellations and delays across Israel, the UAE, Qatar, and Turkey is the direct result of a rapidly escalating military confrontation between Israel and Iran, which has brought unprecedented instability to the region’s skies. The crisis began when Israel launched a major air offensive targeting Iranian nuclear sites, top commanders, and military scientists, aiming to cripple Tehran’s nuclear development capabilities. The strikes, which reportedly damaged facilities in Esfahan and Natanz, killed dozens and severely weakened Iran’s air defense systems.

In retaliation, Iran fired approximately 200 ballistic missiles and drones toward Israel in multiple waves, triggering air raid sirens and emergency shelter orders across Israeli cities, including Tel Aviv and areas near Ben Gurion International Airport. The Iranian strikes caused civilian casualties and damaged infrastructure, creating a dangerous environment for civilian air traffic and forcing Ben Gurion Airport to suspend or scale back operations.

The conflict quickly reverberated across the wider region. Airlines operating in and out of Dubai, Doha, Sharjah, and Istanbul faced growing pressure to cancel or reroute flights due to heightened risks of airspace intrusions, potential misidentifications by military radar, or collateral damage from long-range strikes. Though countries like Qatar, Turkey, and the UAE are not direct parties to the conflict, their proximity and status as major aviation hubs made them vulnerable to the ripple effects.

In addition to physical threats, airspace closures, rerouting requirements, and logistical disruptions—including repositioning of aircraft and shortage of available flight crews—compounded the operational impact. Many airlines, including Emirates, Qatar Airways, FlyDubai, United, Delta, and Saudia, were forced to proactively cancel flights or issue major delays to protect passengers and staff.

Aviation regulators and defense authorities have also issued warnings or no-fly advisories for certain regional corridors, further reducing safe routing options. As a result, what began as a localized military conflict quickly escalated into one of the largest aviation disruptions in the region this year, leaving passengers stranded, flights grounded, and airline networks temporarily fractured.

With tensions still running high and both nations warning of further military action, the disruption is expected to continue or even worsen in the coming days.

Conflict Fallout and Airspace Concerns

The widespread flight disruptions came amid one of the most dangerous escalations in the Middle East in recent years. Israel’s military campaign targeted Iranian nuclear scientists and infrastructure, while Iran responded with a barrage of around 200 ballistic missiles. Air raid sirens blared across Tel Aviv and Ramat Gan, near Ben Gurion Airport, prompting temporary grounding of civilian flights.

U.S. military forces assisted Israel in intercepting some of the missile salvos, but the threats prompted precautionary action from aviation authorities across the region. Airlines rerouted flights away from potential strike zones, leading to schedule disarray across multiple countries.

Airlines that typically operate through regional hubs like Dubai, Doha, and Istanbul saw significant disruption to long-haul connections, especially to and from Asia, Europe, and North America. Carriers like Delta, United, Emirates, Qatar Airways, and Saudia either temporarily paused service or enacted major network adjustments over the weekend.

Oil Prices Surge, Tourism Impact Looms

Alongside the aviation disruption, oil prices spiked by 7% on global markets Friday in response to fears that conflict could spread into the Strait of Hormuz, a critical oil transit route. The escalation has also raised alarms across the global tourism industry, particularly with summer travel season underway.

With over 500 flights cancelled or delayed, travelers across the Middle East now face ripple effects that could last several days or even weeks. Airlines are working to rebook passengers and reroute planes, but ongoing security uncertainty may result in further suspensions or timetable revisions.

Airlines and Airports Affected

Here’s a breakdown of the key airlines impacted across the region:

Ben Gurion International Airport (Israel)

Total Flights Cancelled: 53
Total Flights Delayed: 0

Airlines Affected:

• FlyDubai – 10 cancellations (62% of flights)
• Aegean Airlines – 8 cancellations (50%)
• Israir – 7 cancellations (17%)
• United Airlines – 5 cancellations (100%)
• Azerbaijan Airlines – 4 cancellations (100%)
• Etihad Airways – 3 cancellations (75%)
• Cyprus Airways – 2 cancellations (100%)
• Air Baltic – 2 cancellations (100%)
• HiSky – 2 cancellations (100%)
• Smartwings – 2 cancellations (100%)
• Air France – 2 cancellations (100%)
• KLM – 2 cancellations (100%)
• Delta Air Lines – 2 cancellations (100%)
• Hainan Airlines – 1 cancellation (100%)
• El Al – 1 cancellation (1%)

Sharjah International Airport (UAE)

Total Flights Cancelled: 34
Total Flights Delayed: 23

Airlines Affected:

• Air Arabia – 34 cancellations, 19 delays
• Air India Express – 1 delay
• Fly Jinnah – 1 delay
• Pakistan International Airlines – 1 delay

Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (Turkey)

Total Flights Cancelled: 15
Total Flights Delayed: 53

Airlines Affected:

• Pegasus Airlines – 15 cancellations, 34 delays
• Smart Lynx – 1 delay
• Fly-SAX – 2 delays
• FlyDubai – 3 delays
• Flynas – 1 delay
• Turkish Airlines – 10 delays
• AJet – 2 delays

Hamad International Airport (Qatar)

Total Flights Cancelled: 22
Total Flights Delayed: 83

Airlines Affected:

• Qatar Airways – 22 cancellations, 74 delays
• Air Arabia – 2 delays
• China Southern Airlines – 1 delay
• Finnair – 1 delay
• Jazeera Airways – 2 delays
• Royal Jordanian – 1 delay
• Saudia – 1 delay
• Virgin Australia – 1 delay

Dubai International Airport (UAE)

Total Flights Cancelled: 85
Total Flights Delayed: 184

Airlines Affected:

• FlyDubai – 62 cancellations, 57 delays
• Emirates – 16 cancellations, 86 delays
• Aeroflot – 3 cancellations, 1 delay
• Mahan Air – 2 cancellations
• Syrian Arab Airlines – 1 cancellation
• Middle East Airlines – 1 cancellation
• Air India – 5 delays
• Air India Express – 4 delays
• Air China – 1 delay
• Cebu Pacific Air – 1 delay
• China Southern Airlines – 2 delays
• Cyprus Airways – 1 delay
• Gulf Air – 1 delay
• IndiGo – 2 delays
• Kuwait Airways – 1 delay
• Flynas – 1 delay
• Kenya Airways – 1 delay
• Air Astana – 2 delays
• Royal Jordanian – 2 delays
• SpiceJet – 10 delays
• Saudia – 1 delay
• Uzbekistan Airways – 2 delays
• Airblue – 1 delay

And the airports with highest impact:

• Dubai International (UAE) – 269 disruptions
• Hamad International (Qatar) – 105 disruptions
• Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen (Turkey) – 68 disruptions
• Sharjah International (UAE) – 57 disruptions
• Ben Gurion (Israel) – 53 cancellations

Over 500 flights were cancelled or delayed across Israel, the UAE, Qatar, and Turkey as escalating missile strikes and airspace threats from the Israel-Iran conflict forced airlines like Delta, Emirates, United, and Qatar Airways to halt operations at major airports. The widespread aviation disruption stemmed from safety concerns, military activity, and regional instability affecting Ben Gurion, Dubai, Hamad, and Istanbul.

With 552 flights cancelled or delayed, the Middle East’s airspace remains a volatile zone for commercial aviation amid the escalating Israel-Iran conflict. Major airlines across the globe are recalibrating schedules while passengers face sudden changes, long delays, and uncertainty. The situation is being closely monitored by international aviation regulators, with further disruptions likely as military operations continue.