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Thousands of travelers were left stranded or were diverted to other airports after multiple Middle Eastern countries shut their airspace following the U.S. and Israeli attack on Iran on Sunday.
More than 3,400 flights were canceled on Sunday at the Dubai International Airport (DXB), the Hamad International Airport (DOH), the Zayed International Airport (AUH), the Sharjah Airport (SHJ), the Kuwait Airport (KWI), the Bahrain Airport (BAH) and the Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC), according to FlightRadar24, and more are being recorded as the cancelations extend. Over 90,000 passengers typically pass through these airports each day. At least 145 aircraft were diverted mid-flight to different airports, with one flight from Philadelphia reportedly spending almost 15 hours in the air before turning back, according to Business Traveler.
The airspace closures in the Middle East could potentially be made worse by the fighting between Pakistan and Afghanistan, according to the Guardian. It is unknown how long the disruptions will last and airlines are urging passengers to check their flight status online before heading to the airport.
"For travellers, there's no way to sugarcoat this," said Henry Harteveldt, an airline industry analyst and president of Atmosphere Research Group. "You should prepare for delays or cancellations for the next few days as these attacks evolve and hopefully end."
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The countries with closed airspace include:
Iran
Israel
Qatar
Iraq
The United Arab Emirates
Syria
Jordan
Kuwait
The U.K. Foreign Office on Saturday urged citizens who were stranded to register their presence in Bahrain, Israel, Kuwait, Palestine, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, according to Paddle Your Own Kanoo. One of the first steps to coordinate emergency charter flights is asking citizens to register their presence in a specific location.