{"id":117416,"date":"2026-03-01T13:01:13","date_gmt":"2026-03-01T13:01:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=117416"},"modified":"2026-03-01T13:01:13","modified_gmt":"2026-03-01T13:01:13","slug":"flights-cancelled-and-new-travel-warnings-issued-after-iran-strikes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=117416","title":{"rendered":"Flights cancelled and new travel warnings issued after Iran strikes"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Airlines are continuing to cancel and divert flights serving the Middle East after the US and Israel launched strikes against Iran.<\/p>\n

British Airways and Virgin Atlantic are among carriers to have grounded flights, with flights in and out of Dubai International and Al Maktoum International airport in Dubai suspended.<\/p>\n

The Foreign Office is warning British citizens against all but essential travel to Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Those already there have been advised to shelter.<\/p>\n

This came after Iran launched retaliatory attacks on the Gulf states.<\/p>\n

Long-haul travel is being affected more widely and Heathrow has urged travellers to check with their airlines.<\/p>\n

Virgin Atlantic said it was suspending services between Heathrow and Riyadh on Sunday, after earlier cancelling flights from Heathrow to Dubai on Saturday and Sunday.<\/p>\n

It has warned that flights to India, Saudi Arabia and the Maldives may take longer due to them being rerouted around the affected region.<\/p>\n

Virgin is among airlines across Europe, Asia and the Middle East that have had to cancel or reroute flights to avoid the closed or restricted airspace.<\/p>\n

Tracking shows flights between Europe and Asia travelling via Saudi Arabia or the Caucasus.<\/p>\n

Emma Belcher and her husband Vic were on their way back to Heathrow from a holiday in the Maldives via Dubai when their connecting flight was cancelled.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is absolutely no information about when they might open airspace so we don\u2019t know how long we\u2019ll be here,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were really looking forward to getting home to see the children as we haven\u2019t been away without them before.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Flights<\/figure>\n

Qatar Airways confirmed the temporary suspension of flights in and out of the capital, Doha, due to the closure of Qatari airspace, saying operations would resume at 19:00 local time on Sunday (16:00 GMT).<\/p>\n

John Henry, 71, from Northampton, who is on holiday in Qatar, was at a shopping centre when they received an air raid alert on Saturday.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe heard a bit of a thud and felt a tremor, and we saw a number of people moving quickly out of the shopping centre,\u201d he told the BBC.<\/p>\n

Qatar\u2019s defence ministry said it had intercepted Iranian missiles after explosions were heard in Doha.<\/p>\n

As a result of the disruption:<\/p>\n