UPDATED: Airlines cancel flights as U.S., Israel launch strikes in Iran

The United States and Israel launched what is described as a major combat operation in Iran early this morning, targeting multiple sites in the country. In response, reports indicate that Iran has launched strikes on Israel as well as in Qatar, the UAE and Kuwait.

Airlines have now canceled or suspended flights to the region, with Air Canada advising passengers that: “Due to the military situation in the Middle East, we have canceled today’s flights to and from Dubai.”

And Air Canada continued: “No flight was planned to or from Tel Aviv today. We are monitoring the situation and will adjust our schedule accordingly. Customers can go to http://aircanada.com for updates.”

Other major airlines have also cancelled flights as Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar closed their airspace as a result of the U.S. and Israel’s joint operation Iran.

In a statement, Prime Minister Mark Carney indicated that: “The Canadian government is closely following Iran-related hostilities throughout the Middle East and urges all Canadians in Iran to shelter in place. Canadians in the wider region should follow local advice and take all necessary precautions.”

UPDATE 

Reports continue to come in as the U.S. and Israel’s military operations continue in Iran. A range of sources indicate that Iran has targeted Israel, along with Gulf Nations that include Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Jordan with drone and missiles attacks today (Feb. 28).

In a post on X, the Dubai Media Office said that Dubai authorities have confirmed that an incident occurred in a building in the Palm Jumeirah area.”

The post continued: “Emergency response teams were deployed immediately, and the site has been secured. Dubai Civil Defence has confirmed that the resulting fire is now under control. Four individuals sustained injuries and have been transferred to medical facilities.”

And it stated: “The safety and wellbeing of residents and visitors remain the highest priority. Authorities continue to take all necessary measures to safeguard the public. The public is urged to remain calm, rely solely on verified information from official sources, and refrain from circulating videos or images on social media. Further updates will be provided as they become available.”

Qatar Airways

Qatar Airways Group confirmed that flight operations to Doha remain temporarily suspended until midnight UTC this evening (Feb. 28), due to the closure of Qatari airspace. The airline continues to work closely with government stakeholders and relevant authorities to restore normal operations as soon as the airspace reopens.

The company said that once operations resume, passengers should expect delays, and are advised to check the latest flight information on www.qatarairways.com or via the Qatar Airways app.

The airline said that at Hamad International Airport, affected passengers are currently being assisted by additional ground staff deployed to manage the situation. Qatar Airways is providing all necessary arrangements ensuring that every effort is made to minimise inconvenience during this disruption.

And it made it clear that the safety and well-being of our passengers and employees remain our highest priority. Passengers can refund or change their flights for the next 7 days.

The carrier said that it will continue to share updates as more information becomes available.

Emirates

Emirates advised that due to multiple regional airspace closures, Emirates has temporarily suspended all operations to and from Dubai.

It also advised the following:

• We urge all customers to check flight status? before proceeding to the airport.
• Customers impacted by flight cancellations must contact their travel agency for rebooking. If booked directly with Emirates, please contact us.
• Customers are requested to ensure their contact details are correct by visiting Manage Your Booking to receive updates

Emirates said that it is actively monitoring the situation and engaging with relevant authorities.

And it continued: “We apologize to customers affected by disruptions for any inconvenience caused. The safety and security of our passengers and crew remain our highest priority.”

Saudia

Saudia also advised that due to the evolving situation in the region and airspace closures, flights to and from Amman, Kuwait, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha, Bahrain, Moscow and Peshawar have been cancelled. These cancellations are effective until March 2 at 23:59 GMT.

The airline also advised passengers:

• Please check your flight status before heading to the airport.
• If your flight is canceled, please contact your travel agency to rebook. If you booked directly with Saudia, please contact us.
• Guests will be notified of any updates through the contact details linked to their bookings. Please ensure your contact details are correct in Manage your booking.