Middle East airspace disruption delays 1,077 flights and cancels 185

Disruption overview

Air travel across the Middle East has been heavily disrupted in recent mid-July days, with at least 1,077 delayed flights and 185 cancellations affecting key hubs such as Kuwait International Airport, Abha International Airport, and Cairo International Airport. Airlines including Emirates, Etihad Airways, flydubai, Qatar Airways, Saudia, Air Arabia, and EgyptAir have been adjusting schedules as conflict-linked airspace restrictions tighten across the region. For passengers, that has meant missed connections, longer reroutes, and overnight delays during the summer peak. Because the disruption is tied to airspace closures and conflict outside airline control, compensation under EC 261 is usually unlikely, but airlines should still provide rebooking, refunds, and care if you're left waiting.

Get flight compensation

Check if the airline owes you money for your delayed or canceled flight

Disruption details

Air travel across the Middle East has been heavily disrupted in recent mid-July days, with operations at Kuwait International Airport, Abha International Airport, and Cairo International Airport among the airports under the most pressure. At least 1,077 flights have been delayed and 185 canceled across Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Türkiye.

For passengers, that has meant missed onward connections through Doha, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Jeddah, longer journeys on rerouted flights, and in some cases an overnight stay instead of same-day travel. In total, at least 1,262 flights have been directly affected during one of the busiest parts of the summer season.

The disruption has been driven by renewed regional hostilities involving Iran. Cross-border attacks and a series of airspace advisories have narrowed the corridors available to airlines, while Kuwait has brought in especially strict controls on overflights.

Carriers have also been told to use extra caution and, where needed, to route flights around parts of Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia. That has created a chain reaction: longer flight paths, intermittent airport closures, last-minute schedule changes, and aircraft and crews ending up in the wrong place for later flights.

The biggest pressure points have been:

• Kuwait International Airport has seen repeated cancellations and multi-hour delays on services to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and other regional hubs.

• In Saudi Arabia, tighter security around Abha International Airport after recent attacks in the southwest has affected routes operated by flydubai, Air Arabia, and Saudia.

• Cairo International Airport has recorded more late departures and some cancellations as EgyptAir and Gulf carriers manage limited departure slots and aircraft that are out of position.

Airlines have been adjusting schedules in response. Etihad Airways has extended selective cancellations on its Abu Dhabi–Kuwait service, while Emirates has temporarily halted some Dubai–Kuwait flights. flydubai has also listed cancellations and delays of more than 5 hours on Dubai–Abha services, showing how quickly disruption on one corridor can spread through the wider network.

Other carriers are still running most of their long-haul schedules, but with a warning that plans can change quickly. Qatar Airways, Saudia, EgyptAir, and Air Arabia continue to operate much of their schedule, yet passengers are being told to expect short-notice schedule changes as security assessments evolve and airlines protect aircraft, crews, and available departure slots.

Airlines and regional authorities are urging travelers to check flight status just before leaving for the airport and to keep plans flexible. There isn't a clear timeline for normal service, so that's especially important if you're connecting through Hamad International Airport, Dubai International Airport, Abu Dhabi International Airport, King Abdulaziz International Airport, or King Khalid International Airport, where even flights that operate can still arrive late after detours.

Because this disruption is linked to security-related airspace restrictions and regional conflict, compensation under EC 261 is usually unlikely. In situations like this, the cause sits outside the airline's control.

Although compensation is unlikely here, that doesn't mean you're without support. If your flight is canceled or heavily delayed, your airline should still help with rebooking or a refund, and provide food, refreshments, accommodation, and transportation to it if you're stuck overnight. If you want to understand what may apply to your journey, AirHelp's free flight checker is a simple place to start.

Protect your future trips with AirHelp+

Secure your flights, luggage and get lounge access