For decades the airports of the Gulf have offered good-value connections from those across Britain to destinations in Asia, Africa and Australasia.
But since the US-Israeli attack on Iran began, triggering retaliation from Tehran against the infrastructure in the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait, airspace has been closed intermittently.
Flights to Israel and Jordan have also been affected.
Yet for people who need urgently to travel, options are opening up – especially through the key UAE hubs of Dubai and Abu Dhabi – but these locations remain on the Foreign Office no-go list, with important implications for travellers.
These are the key questions and answers.
Who are the key players?
The “Middle East 3” – Emirates and Etihad of the UAE and Qatar Airways – are by far the biggest in terms of scale.
Gulf Air, based in Bahrain, and Kuwait Airways are smaller players but remain significant.
To the west of the region, El Al of Israel and Royal Jordanian are the main airlines serving their respective territories.
How much flying are these airlines doing?
According to the latest figures by aviation analyst Cirium, the big three are flying these percentages of their normal service:
Kuwait Airways is in single figure percentages. Royal Jordanian is operating around three-quarters of its flights. El Al is operating at about a quarter of normal strength.
Gulf Air has an interesting proposition: setting up a hub at Damman in Saudi Arabia, with road links to its main base, Bahrain. Flights are operating on a limited network, including from London Heathrow.
Reports from Sri Lanka say that the government is discussing with Emirates and Qatar Airways the prospect of using Colombo airport as an alternative transit hub.
Colombo is 2,040 miles from Dubai, and 200 miles more distant from Doha.
What are the airlines saying about the near future?
Etihad says it is “currently operating a limited commercial flight schedule between Abu Dhabi and a number of key destinations.
“Passengers and members of the public should not travel to the airport unless they have been contacted directly by Etihad or hold a confirmed booking on one of these new flights.”
In a throwback to the Covid era, Etihad is offering free cancellation for bookings made for travel up to March 2027.
Emirates says anyone booked up to 15 April 2026 can postpone their trip up to 31 May 2026, or obtain a full refund.
“We continue to monitor the situation, and we will develop our operational schedule accordingly,” it adds.
“Please continue to check your flight status, even after you have checked in.”
Qatar Airways says: “Plan your travels again with limited flights resuming. We want you to know that we are doing our utmost to support you with your journey, and to reunite you with your family and loved ones.
“We recognise this situation may be unsettling and are working to keep you moving while we prepare for the safe return of our usual operations. Your patience and understanding mean a great deal to us, and we are truly grateful for your continued support at this challenging time. Qatar Airways will resume operations once the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority announces the safe full reopening of Qatari airspace.”
Is it safe to fly?
Yes, according to the Gulf airlines, airports and aviation authorities. Emirates says: “The safety and security of our passengers and crew remain our highest priority and will not be compromised.”
The pilots who are flying the aircraft in and out of Abu Dhabi – and nearby Dubai – evidently believe they can operate safely. That is what persuaded me to take the risk.
What about transiting through the Gulf hubs?
The Foreign Office “advises against all but essential travel” to the UAE and Qatar because of the intermittent attacks on the country from Iran. While the FCDO has no direct influence on what this means for travel insurance, a standard term in such policies will say something like: “If you choose to travel contrary to the FCDO’s advice, we will only cover a claim if the cause is not linked to the reason for the advice.”
In other words: were you to be injured as a result of an event at the airport related to the Iran conflict, you would not be covered for medical expenses. However, in that extremely unlikely event, it is fair to assume that the UAE and Qatari authorities would want to care for anyone who was hurt free of charge. In contrast, were you to lose something or hurt yourself by tripping over at the airport, you would be covered by the normal terms of your policy.
This partial withdrawal of insurance applies only when you are actually on the ground in the UAE. As soon as that plane takes off, it clicks back into full cover.
