Iran war strands hundreds of thousands across Gulf as airspace closures spread

The U.S. and Israel’s joint war against Iran has stranded hundreds of thousands of travelers across the Middle East, with sweeping airspace closures and flight cancellations paralyzing Gulf state airports that normally funnel global air traffic, the Associated Press reported Wednesday.

The disruption extends well beyond the immediate conflict zone. Gulf airports serve as critical transit hubs connecting flights between Europe, Africa and Asia, meaning cascading cancellations have rippled across global air routes even as evacuation efforts remain ongoing.

Tourists, business travelers, migrant workers and others have been navigating urgent decisions about shelter, money and safety as the conflict has continued to escalate — particularly through strikes in the Gulf states. Several travelers shared their accounts with the AP.

A family in Dubai waits to reunite at home

Viktoriia Lokhmatova, who lives in Serbia, and Michael Crepin, who lives in Belgium, had traveled to Dubai with their children for a milestone occasion: it was the first time Lokhmatova’s 8-year-old daughter, Anny, and Crepin’s 13-year-old son, Gabriel, would meet in person. All four were also celebrating February birthdays.

Their return flight was canceled amid regional airspace disruptions. A rebooking was also canceled.

“We stayed on calls with the airline for almost two days trying to figure out another flight,” Lokhmatova said.

A Dubai-based luxury rental company, AraBnB Homes, opened vacant units to passengers unable to leave the city, providing the family a free night’s accommodation while they arranged alternative plans. During the early days of the conflict, the family occasionally heard explosions from air defense systems intercepting missiles or drones.

“We tried to stay calm because the kids were there,” Crepin said.

As of Wednesday, the couple was hoping to depart Dubai on Saturday — if that flight proceeds — and planned to travel together to Istanbul before separating, with Lokhmatova and Anny returning to Serbia and Crepin and Gabriel to Belgium.

A midflight turnaround over the Gulf

Varun Krishnan, who runs the Indian technology company Fone Arena, was two hours into a flight from the Qatari capital of Doha to Barcelona when the aircraft stopped progressing toward Spain.

Krishnan was traveling to Mobile World Congress, a telecommunications conference in Barcelona. He said he had been tracking the flight and realized it was off course.

“It seemed something was off,” Krishnan said.

The captain announced that Baghdad airspace had been closed due to security issues. The aircraft began circling the United Arab Emirates before returning to Doha. As the plane prepared to land, emergency notifications sounded across the cabin. Long lines formed at the airport as departure boards filled with cancellations.

“But still people were panicking,” Krishnan said.

He said he had been staying at a hotel since the diversion. On Wednesday, he was still waiting for airlines to confirm when flights might resume.

Pittsburgh retirees face repeated cancellations

Louise Herrle, a retiree from Pittsburgh, and her husband were vacationing in Dubai when the war broke out. She told the AP that the couple had experienced several flight cancellations and were scheduled to depart early Thursday morning, though she was uncertain whether that flight would also be canceled.

They had heard fighter jets flying overhead “from time to time,” as well as some explosions, Herrle said. She described the situation as “extremely stressful” but said she had found support from fellow travelers caught in the same circumstances.

“It’s not a great experience, but it’s, you know, a shared experience and it brings people together,” she said.

A Hong Kong expat moves twice seeking safety

Agnes Chen Pun, a Hong Kong expatriate who had moved to Dubai the previous year with her husband and their 18-month-old child, said she relocated her family twice within the UAE as tensions mounted — first to a resort about an hour and a half away in Fujairah, then to one near the port city of Sharjah, out of concern about potential attacks.

“We were so nervous, so anxious,” said Chen, a partner at Asia Bankers Club, a Hong Kong- and Dubai-based investment company.

Chen secured commercial tickets to Singapore at $2,200 per person, though her departure remained uncertain at the time of the report. She said she planned to return to the UAE once the situation stabilizes.

“I think the scare, the fears, will be short-term. Definitely now, safety is the most important,” she said. “I will go to Hong Kong … wait (until) the war is over, and then I probably, definitely would come back again.”