While agents are busy rebooking and reassuring clients—we’ve fielded requests for a travel summary, so here goes…
An estimated 18,000 flights were disrupted around the world and more than 3000 cancelled in the first day of the Middle East conflict with no clear sign of when flights will get back on schedule.
The strike by the US/Israel on Iran led to unprecedented drone and missile attacks by Iran on some of its Gulf neighbours’ civilian infrastructure, including airports.
Dubai Airport was damaged and four people were injured, and two hotels were struck. At Zayed International Airport in Abu Dhabi one person was killed and Kuwait International Airport was also hit.
Hundreds of thousands of travellers have been stranded, diverted or had their plans delayed by the closure of airspace in the Middle East. Widespread reports indicate passengers in the Gulf area are being accommodated in hotels and looked after by the airlines and their respective governments.
. . . Hours Added
Flights were turned around mid-journey, including Emirates’ Auckland-Dubai service on Sat which Flightradar24 shows nearly made it to Indonesia before turning back. Airlines that are crossing the Middle East now have to reroute flights around the area with many flights headed south over Saudi Arabia. That can add hours to those flights and consume additional fuel, which is heading up in cost as crude oil prices are set to spike.
The scale and abruptness of the disruption has been likened to the impact of the 2010 Eyjafjallajökull volcano ash cloud over Iceland.
When the disruption will end is uncertain. Mike McCormick, a professor at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, told Fortune that over the next few days affected countries might be able to reopen parts of their airspace once US and Israeli officials share with airlines where military flights are operating and it becomes known how capable Iran remains at firing missiles.
“I think what we’ll see in the next 24 to 36 hours how the use of airspace evolves .”
