Busiest global airports shut down as Iran strikes US Persian Gulf bases

Leen Al-Rashdan, Bloomberg News on Feb 28, 2026

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

Within hours of Iran’s retaliatory strikes on U.S. bases in the Persian Gulf, civil air traffic began clearing out, with carriers first circumnavigating the region before movements came to an unprecedented complete standstill.

For the tens of thousands of travelers at global hubs in Dubai, Doha, and elsewhere in the Gulf, anxiety about getting on their flight quickly turned into chaos, as authorities closed the airspace over some of the most frequented routes. As a result, Emirates, Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways and other carriers halted all operations.

At Dubai International Airport, arrivals and departure boards in the terminals initially showed major delays that quickly cascaded into a full suspension, a disruption on a scale not seen in decades. Emirates has long prided itself in its clockwork operations, even in times of crisis — be it the pandemic or regional strife. But this time, interrupting all services was the only possible response.

Emirates canceled all flights until 3 am on Sunday, Qatar Airways halted operations until midnight, and Etihad Airways extended the suspension even longer, until Sunday afternoon.

Disruptions at airports in the region weren’t limited to cancellations. Kuwait’s civil aviation authority said a drone hit the country’s airport, causing several light injuries and “limited” damages to the passenger building.

The region functions as a global superconnector, linking any two points on the planet with one single stop in airports like Dubai, Doha or Abu Dhabi. As a result, carriers including Emirates, Qatar Airways and Etihad have created massive fleets that funnel passengers through their hubs, turning the Middle East into a vital artery for global air-traffic flows.

The Persian Gulf has become accustomed to disruptions as the skies over large swaths of the Middle East suffered restrictions several times during the past two years. Airlines have been forced to cancel flights on profitable routes, spend more on jet fuel and pass through countries they usually avoid — like Afghanistan — as they avoid dangerous airspace.

But an outright suspension for many hours on a massive regional scale is unprecedented, highlighting the stakes in the conflict that’s pitting Iran against Israel and the U.S.

Dubai is the world’s busiest international airport, handling more than 2,000 daily flights by more than 100 airlines that operate at the hub. Emirates is the flagship operator, with a fleet of long-haul Boeing Co. and Airbus SE aircraft that fly to more than 140 destinations worldwide.

The facility is usually able to clear the thousands of passengers that flow through the airport in a matter of minutes, using advanced technology including face-recognition. On Saturday, check-in halls quickly filled up with stranded travelers. Electronic smart gates were closed off, leading to longer lines as people crowded immigration desks.

Lines snaked through the departure area of the airport, while others rushed to the exits in search of taxis back into town. Many sought to receive hotel vouchers that the airlines had promised.

Some passengers were initially hopeful that they would able to make their flight, but around 4 p.m. all operations came to a halt, and thousands of people were told to leave the airport.

Other passengers believed that they had gotten out just in time, only to see their flights turn back because the air space they were traversing had become too dangerous. An Emirates Airbus A380 superjumbo bound for San Francisco turned back to its base in Dubai, and other aircraft were also left out of position, adding to the chaos on the ground.

At Doha airport, which handles about a 1000 flights a day, similar scenes unfolded, reminiscent of the situation last year in June, when scattered Iranian strikes on Qatar left 20,000 travelers temporarily stranded.

“People are very tired and very nervous, some have no idea what’s coming next and for how long we are stuck,” said Tarun Pathak, who was traveling from New Delhi to via Doha to Barcelona on a business trip.