Thousands of flights cancelled as world faces worst travel chaos since Covid crisis

March 2, 2026

TL;DR

Hundreds of thousands of passengers are stranded worldwide due to widespread flight cancellations.
Key air hubs in the Middle East, including Dubai, have been closed for days.
Thousands of flights have been cancelled, with significant impacts on Gulf carriers like Emirates and Etihad.
Airline and travel company share prices have fallen sharply amid the ongoing disruption.
The conflict has led to the closure of airspace over Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Israel, Bahrain, the UAE, and Qatar.
Disruptions are affecting flight times to Asia and leading to cancellations of services to Europe and North America.
The crisis has led to a surge in demand and cost for private jet travel.
Higher oil prices are expected as a consequence of the geopolitical events.
The situation is described as the most acute aviation shock since the Covid pandemic.

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