Fallout from attack on Iran continues

As of Tuesday 3 March 2026, there have been an estimated 9,000 flights cancelled in the last 72 hours across multiple Middle Eastern airports and airspaces, according to aviation industry tracking sources. Uncertainty over the security of airspace is due to the ongoing Middle East conflict between Israel, the US, and Iran, which has resulted in widespread airspace closures and airport shutdowns across the Gulf and neighbouring states. 

Euronews reported that the bulk of cancellations stemmed from airspace closures enforced by multiple countries (including the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Iran, Israel, and Iraq) after escalatory military actions. The major hubs affected include Dubai International, Abu Dhabi, Doha (Hamad International), Kuwait International, Sharjah, and Bahrain.

The figure includes cancellations of both regional flights and international services rerouted or suspended by carriers including Emirates, Etihad, Qatar Airways, IndiGo, Air India, British Airways and other European operators such as Lufthansa. Airspace closures have also disrupted flights heading to other parts of the world, which has left tens of thousands of passengers stranded.

IndiGo alone has cancelled 203 flights across 2–3 March due to restrictions. Some airline summaries indicate that nearly 1,600 cancellations on 2 March were recorded by major Middle Eastern carriers due to ongoing restrictions.

Airports and hotels suffer in Abu Dhabi and Dubai

In Dubai, two people were injured after shrapnel from drones fell over two houses when they were intercepted, a Dubai state media office statement said. The Fairmont The Palm hotel was hit by debris from an intercepted missile, while DXB, Dubai’s international airport, its landmark Burj Al Arab hotel and man-made Palm Jumeirah island all suffered damage from missile strikes and interceptions. A statement from Dubai’s Media Office read: “The competent authorities in Dubai announced that a drone was intercepted, and its fragments caused a small fire on the exterior facade of the Burj Al Arab hotel. Civil defense teams were able to control the incident without any injuries.”

An “incident” at Abu Dhabi airport reportedly resulted in one fatality and other injuries. A post on X by Abu Dhabi Airports said the incident “resulted in one fatality involving an Asian national and 7 injuries”. It did not give a cause for the incident.

Safety is paramount

As governments around the world had to swiftly change their travel advice for the UAE and other Gulf nations, shelter-in-place instructions were given to foreign nationals from their authorities.

UK officials are reportedly working on plans for potential routes for the evacuation of tens of thousands, should airspace in the Gulf remain off-limits for much longer.

British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper told Sky News the UK government was “working on every possible option”, and that teams had been deployed to the Gulf countries to help Britons there.

The US State Department has issued a security alert advising its citizens around the world to “exercise caution” and follow the latest guidance from their nearest US embassy or consulate.

US citizens affected by the situation are being encouraged to enrol in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP), which allows the Department of State to contact US citizens in case of emergency.

Australia has raised its level of advice for the UAE to “do not travel” following military strikes and heightened regional instability. 

Canada has escalated its guidance for the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Qatar, advising travellers to exercise a “high degree of caution”.

India’s embassy in the UAE issued an update to citizens on Saturday, advising all Indian nationals to “avoid unnecessary travel, take due care, remain vigilant and follow safety guidelines and advisories”. 

Germany has tightened its travel advice for the entire Middle East region. Following a meeting of the federal government’s crisis management team, Berlin issued travel warnings covering Israel, Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Qatar, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. 

Turkish authorities have issued a high alert for border regions with Iran. Citizens currently in Iran for tourism or business have been advised to coordinate with the Turkish embassy in Tehran regarding potential overland departure routes should flights be grounded.

Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB) has issued a travel advisory for passengers travelling to, from or transiting through parts of the Middle East, warning that airspace restrictions may result in delays, rerouting, or cancellations.

Effect on insurance validity

Most leisure travel insurance policies will exclude claims for cancellation due to war.

Trip cancellation, flight delay claims, additional accommodation/meal costs, and rerouting costs caused directly by the conflict are typically not covered under standard policies, and this applies whether the policy was purchased before or after the conflict escalated. As airlines are cancelling their flight schedules on account of the conflict, they are unlikely to want to be held be liable for costs incurred by travellers as these were circumstances beyond the airline’s control.

James Henderson, CEO of Healix International, confirmed the position of insurers: “In situations involving acts of war, insurers operate within the coverage boundaries set out in the policy – primarily because war is considered an uninsurable, large‑scale risk. However, insurers continue to support customers through any benefits that still apply, as well as through assistance services where available. Broader protection and evacuation efforts are usually coordinated by government and consular authorities.”

ITIJ also contacted Collinson Group. Their spokesperson shared the following statement: “Most policies exclude cover for war or warlike activities, and this applies to all cover sections including the cancellation, curtailment/cutting short of your trip, travel delay or missed departure sections. Whilst most policies will exclude emergency medical expenses claims where injury directly relates to or is caused by the war-like activity, there may be cover where a customer suffers injury or illness as an innocent bystander. If you have purchased additional trip disruption cover, unfortunately the war risks exclusion still applies and there is no cover under any additional section."

Customers were urged to contact their tour operator, airline or travel provider for assistance in the first instance and before travelling to the airport. Collinson's spkoesperson added: “They [airlines/travel providers] are contractually responsible for assisting with alternative travel arrangements once airspace reopens or providing refunds for cancelled services. If you are stuck abroad and unable to return as planned, most insurers will extend your travel insurance until arrangements are made for your return home. However, you should then return home as soon as travel becomes available.”

Even if standard policies don’t cover conflict-related disruption, medical cover and emergency assistance abroad (e.g. hospitalisation, repatriation for health reasons) are usually still in operation if a customer needs them for reasons unrelated to the conflict. This depends (as always with insurers!) on a particular policy’s wording.

For those travellers currently unable to leave the UAE due to airspace closures, state media has reported that local authorities will cover the food and accommodation costs of tens of thousands of travellers stranded in the country during the conflict in the Middle East. Local newspaper The National reported that the UAE’s Department of Culture and Tourism sent a notice to hotels requesting them to extend the stay of passengers who were unable to travel “for reasons beyond their control”.

The current situation also highlights the distinction between mass-market leisure policies and specialist cover. Many standard travel insurers restrict or withdraw cover once government advisories change, which can leave corporates and high-net-worth individuals exposed precisely when risk crystallises.

In response, Hotspot Cover has implemented rate increases to reflect heightened exposure to war, terrorism, and political violence perils, as well as the increased likelihood of rapid evacuation scenarios. The company is therefore reviewing risk and pricing on a daily basis to ensure terms remain aligned with the evolving threat landscape.

Graeme Dean, CEO of Hotspot Cover, added: “[We] continue to provide coverage in the region, but underwriting is now highly contextual. Traveller profile, specific location, duration, aggregation exposure, and access to viable evacuation corridors are assessed on a case-by-case basis. Blanket assumptions are no longer appropriate.”

Tour operators under pressure

Although the exact number of tourists caught up in the travel disruption is hard to confirm, there are thought to be thousands of people currently in the UAE on business or leisure trips.

A UK-based tour operator organisation, ABTA – The Travel Association, issued a statement on the morning of 2 March in which it said it had initiated its crisis response team, adding: “[We have] circulated 10 operational bulletins to members advising on the latest situation and sharing FCDO travel advice updates and changes. ABTA has also been liaising with members who have operations in the regions affected and the Foreign Office.”

Information for holidaymakers was published on abta.com, linking through to ABTA’s existing advice on delays and cancellations.

Mark Tanzer, Chief Executive of ABTA, said: “It’s times like these when the importance of booking with a travel agent or tour operator really shines through. We know our members are working extremely hard to help their customers … clearly this is a fast-moving situation, [and] ABTA’s team of experts continue to work to support members, responding to the situation as it develops.”

Assistance companies respond

Sebastien Bedu from International SOS told ITIJ that the firm’s teams had been “working around the clock to help organisations protect their travellers, assignees, and domestic workforces. In the last few days, we have opened over 1,000 assistance cases, including the arrangement of multiple evacuations, alongside 60-plus requests handled by MedAire, International SOS’s dedicated aviation subsidiary.”

He added: “We are continuously monitoring this evolving situation and issuing tailored guidance on mobility, shelter‑in‑place, and continuity measures. For evacuations, where conditions and permissions allow, we are working with aviation and logistics partners to plan routing options, assess landing and overflight availability, and align with local regulations and curfews.”

Healix International activated its incident management team (IMT) to ensure a coordinated medical, security, and intelligence‑led response. Henderson told ITIJ: “We are monitoring developments 24/7, proactively identifying at‑risk individuals, providing real‑time guidance, and coordinating medical and security support through our global network. Our focus is to ensure the safety, security, and wellbeing of our clients wherever they are.”

He continued: “Healix was well prepared for this escalation through our continuous geopolitical monitoring, established IMT, and global provider network. While no organisation can predict the exact nature of international crises or the involvement of typically neutral countries, our intelligence‑led approach and crisis‑response framework mean we can react swiftly and effectively. This preparation aligns with the standards used across leading international assistance and security firms.”

CONNEX Assistance issued the following information to its clients: “CONNEX Assistance continues to coordinate assistance cases and ensure uninterrupted access to care across all countries where we operate, including the GCC region. At this time, there has been no impact on the availability or functionality of hospitals, clinics or pharmacies.”

Ground assistance services, it continued, remain fully operational in the following countries:

• Egypt
• the UAE
• Saudi Arabia
• Oman
• Jordan
• Bahrain
• Kuwait
• Qatar.

The statement concluded: “Should evacuation from the UAE be required, alternative arrangements – including cross-border ground transport (road ambulance) to Oman – can be coordinated where appropriate, subject to medical and operational considerations.”

Regarding in-process repatriation missions, Collinson’s spokesperson also pointed out: “A number of repatriations have been rerouted or postponed over the weekend and today, with the time and money cost for such operational activities inevitably going to increase until this is over. As such, we still have medical staff and supplier networks helping out with such operations and need to ensure their safety and security. In the longer term, there will be the inevitable upward cost pressure due to consequent oil price and similar inflationary impacts.”

The future stability of the region

Henderson told ITIJ: “The involvement of typically neutral states – such as the UAE being struck despite not participating in offensive operations – shows that more countries may be drawn in involuntarily as conflict dynamics spill over borders. Overall, the region faces elevated long‑term risk, with a high likelihood that additional states could be affected as escalation in one theatre triggers reactions in others.”

International SOS is reviewing and activating crisis management plans, confirming workforce accountability, conducting pre‑travel risk assessments, and delivering manager and traveller briefings for all its clients. Bedu said: “Looking ahead, we anticipate a period where intense military activity may continue and proxy actors could create localised risks, including in the maritime domain near the Strait of Hormuz. Our commitment is to maintain close monitoring, keep advice aligned with official government directives, and help organisations verify information, stay agile in assistance planning, and extend forecasting beyond the immediate horizon, all to safeguard people and protect long‑term business value.

“As the situation evolves, our teams will continue to expand intelligence coverage, update advisory levels, and stand ready to support medical and security movements when and where viable. Our mission remains constant: enable clients to anticipate and mitigate risks, minimise disruption, and protect their people and operations responsibly.”

Dean gave his perspective on the ongoing escalation of hostilities across the Middle East, which he said signalled “a structural change in regional risk conditions, rather than a temporary spike in instability”.

“Several GCC states have historically been priced as relatively low-risk environments from a travel and accident and health standpoint, supported by strong infrastructure and robust internal security frameworks. However, the present cycle of direct confrontation, proxy activity, and the targeting of strategic and civilian-adjacent assets has altered the short-term risk profile significantly,” he told ITIJ.

“Even when active hostilities subside, the residual risk environment may remain elevated. Travel advisories and traditional insurers are likely to adopt a cautious stance for some time, particularly where airspace disruption, retaliatory activity or political instability persists. For organisations with ongoing regional exposure, the challenge will not only be navigating immediate escalation, but managing the prolonged period of uncertainty that often follows conflict.”