Flight Chaos Across the Middle East as Key Hubs Report Hundreds of Delays and Cancellations

Hundreds of British travellers are affected as Cairo, Istanbul, and Dubai airports report 375 delays and 17 cancellations.

The disruptions, which struck on Sunday, 5 April, affected Cairo International Airport, Istanbul Airport, and Dubai International Airport simultaneously, sending shockwaves through travel itineraries stretching from the Gulf to mainland Europe. Airlines including EgyptAir, Emirates, Air Arabia, Gulf Air, and FlyDubai were among those most severely impacted, leaving passengers bound for destinations such as Abu Dhabi, Kuwait City, Paris, Amsterdam, Doha, Riyadh, and Bahrain stranded at departure gates for hours on end.
For many British holidaymakers and business travellers transiting through these hubs, Sunday proved to be one of the most frustrating travel days of the year so far.​​​​​​​

Istanbul Airport, one of the world's largest aviation hubs and a critical transit point for British travellers flying between Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, recorded 111 delays and 3 cancellations. Gulf Air, Air Arabia, and Aeroflot were among the worst-affected carriers, with passengers on routes connecting London, Moscow, Dubai, and Cairo experiencing the most prolonged disruption.

At Dubai International, services to popular British holiday and transit destinations, including Amsterdam, Paris, Nairobi, Colombo, and Dhaka, were hit by significant schedule changes throughout the day. Emirates, which operates one of the busiest routes between the UK and Dubai, has been running a reduced flight schedule and is currently offering passengers booked to travel between 28 February and 30 April the option to rebook free of charge on alternate flights until 15 June, or to claim a full refund.​​​​​​​

The disruption is the result of a combination of factors that have been building across the region for several weeks. Ongoing airspace restrictions linked to regional geopolitical tensions, adverse weather conditions, and logistical bottlenecks at major hubs have placed enormous strain on airline operations across the Middle East. Aircraft rotations have been thrown off schedule, crew planning has been disrupted, and carriers have been forced to navigate longer flight corridors to avoid restricted airspace, all of which feeds directly into delays and, in some cases, outright cancellations.
​​​​​​​Aviation warns that this pattern of disruption is unlikely to resolve quickly, with irregular operations at these key hubs expected to continue for several weeks.

If you are travelling through Cairo, Istanbul, or Dubai in the coming days, Crystal Travel strongly recommends checking your flight status directly with your airline before leaving for the airport, as schedules are continuing to change at short notice. Keep your contact details updated with both your airline and your travel agent so that any rebooking notifications reach you without delay. Where possible, consider alternative routing options through less-affected hubs. Passengers whose flights have been cancelled or delayed by three hours or more at their final destination may be entitled to compensation or a full refund under UK and EU passenger rights regulations.

Crystal Travel's customer support team is available around the clock to assist with rebookings, alternative arrangements, and any queries related to the ongoing disruption.