The escalating conflict in the Gulf is severely disrupting global travel, with airspace across Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates either closed or heavily restricted. Most European and Middle Eastern carriers have suspended flights, leaving hundreds of thousands of passengers stranded.
The total number of affected travelers remains difficult to determine, as there is no centralized tracking system for passengers across the region.
However, figures cited by various media outlets and organizations suggest at least 94,000 British nationals are currently stranded, including about 50,000 in the UAE alone. Approximately 115,000 Australians are also reportedly unable to travel, while the German Travel Association (DRV) says around 30,000 Germans are booked on package holidays and blocked in the Gulf. That already brings the known total to roughly 239,000 stranded travelers. With no official data yet available from many other countries, the real figure could easily be more than double when accounting for additional nationalities and transit passengers.
More than 3,000 flights canceled
Pinpointing the exact number of canceled flights since February 28, 2026, is equally challenging. According to Cirium data, about 966 scheduled arrivals were canceled across Middle East and Gulf airspace on February 28 alone. When outbound flights are included, total cancellations that day likely exceeded 1,800.
By Monday, March 2, some reports estimated that more than 3,400 flights had been canceled across the Gulf and wider Middle East, including large-scale cancellations by major carriers such as Emirates, Qatar Airways, and Etihad.
The disruption is also affecting international business travel, including executives planning to attend ITB Berlin. Attendees should expect last-minute cancellations of meetings, particularly with participants from the Middle East and parts of Asia, as some delegates remain stranded either at home or in transit hubs across the Gulf.
Insurance coverage uncertain
Coverage for stranded travelers varies widely depending on their country of residence and booking arrangements. Package holidays booked through tour operators are typically covered for a limited period, though conditions differ by provider. Some authorities, including those in the UAE (including Abu Dhabi and Dubai) as well as Qatar, have indicated they would cover accommodation costs for stranded passengers while airports remain closed.
For travelers who purchased individual travel insurance policies with their flights, the outlook is less favorable. Most standard policies exclude war, acts of war, and political unrest from trip cancellation and interruption coverage, meaning claims related to the current conflict are likely to be denied.
