Brits warned against all but essential travel to UAE

The UK Foreign Office (FCDO) has advised against all but essential travel to the UAE as the regional escalation poses "significant security risks".

Iran "continues to strike civilian infrastructure across the region such as hotels, roads, bridges, energy facilities, financial institutions, oil production sites, water systems, and airports", says the FCDO.

Passengers facing 'increased wait times' after Emirates is bombarded with calls

Emirates Airlines is being bombarded with calls from passengers enquiring about refunds or ways to re-book their flights.

It comes after the airline issued new guidance to anyone who had booked a flight with them between February 28 and April 15, offering them the option to rebook onto alternative services or request a full refund.

"Our Contact Centre is currently experiencing a high volume of calls, leading to increased wait times," Emirates told a passenger on X. "Please DM us your booking details so that we can review and guide you further. We’ll do our best to respond within 48-72 hours. Thank you".

Shocking image shows impact of strike at Dubai Airport

Dubai International Airport was forced to suspend flights on Monday after a drone strike hit a nearby fuel tank, disrupting thousands of British travellers.

Several Emirates flights were diverted or cancelled, including five flights from UK airports that were forced to make U-turns.

Number of Brits flown back from Middle East 'reaches 100,000'

The number of British nationals who will have "flown back" from the Middle East since the start of war was set to reach 100,000 on Tuesday, the Government estimates.

Making a statement about the Middle East in the Commons, Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper told MPs: "On the outset of this crisis, more than 300,000 British citizens were in the region and with the airstrikes started and airspace closed, many were stuck.

"And we've been working relentlessly since then to help them get home. This has been a complex task." Ms Cooper later added: "We've laid on additional Government charter flights from Muscat and from Dubai.

"And we estimate now that the number of British nationals who will have flown back from the region since the start of the war will today reach 100,000."

Cathay Pacific cancels flights to Dubai

Cathay Pacific has announced that due to instability in the Middle East region, all passenger flights and to Dubai and Riyadh have been cancelled until and including April 30.

Cathay Pacific Airways: All flights to Dubai and Riyadh, including cargo, canceled up to April 30

How to rebook or request a refund for Emirates flights

Emirates Airlines have allowed passengers with flights booked between February 28 and April 15 to request a refund or re-book their journeys.

Passengers can request for a refund by completing the refund form at http://emirat.es/refund. Refunds can take up to 15 days to be processed.

Flights can be re-booked up to 31 May, 2026. "If your original travel date is within 72 hours, rebook by visiting http://emirat.es/managebooking or 'Manage Your Booking”'on the Emirates App," Emirates says on X. "If your booking is for later, please contact us for assistance at http://emirat.es/support or http://emirat.es/xdm."

British Airways cancellations - full list

British Airways has cancelled flights to multiple areas for several months due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

A BA spokesperson said: "[The cancellations are] due to the continuing uncertainty of the situation in the Middle East and airspace instability, and to provide more clarity to our customers."

The airline confirmed on Monday that journeys cancelled up to and on May 31 include all flights to:

• Dubai
• Bahrain
• Tel Aviv
• Amman

Flights to Doha have been suspended until April 30, while those to Abu Dhabi won't be running until October.

BA operating extra flights to Singapore and Bangkok

British Airways will be operating additional flights to and from Singapore and Bangkok "to meet rising demand for these routes as a result of the situation in the Middle East".

The airline said: "We are also operating additional flights to and from Singapore (x4) and Bangkok (x3) and continue to review options to bring back more customers who have been disrupted."

All flights to Dubai cancelled until June, BA says

British Airways has cancelled all flights to Dubai until June.

The airline confirmed the move in an update issued on Tuesday, adding that flights to Amman, Bahrain, Dubai and Tel Aviv were now cancelled up to and including May 31, while flights to Doha were cancelled until April 30.

Edinburgh to Dubai flight turns back after drone attack

A plane carrying hundreds of passengers from Edinburgh to Dubai was forced to do a U-turn after flights at Dubai International Airport were suspended due to a fire caused by an Iranian drone hitting a fuel tank.

The Emirates flight EK24 took off from Edinburgh at 21:26pm on Sunday and was due to land in Dubai at 06:49am on Monday. The plane had flown for 11 hours and made it as far as Egypt before having to turn back.

British Airways extends 'temporary reduction' in flights

British Airways announced this week it would be extending the temporary reduction in its flying schedule in the Middle East.

In an update on its website on Monday, the airline said: "Due to the continuing uncertainty of the situation in the Middle East and airspace instability, and to provide more clarity to our customers, we’ve extended the temporary reduction in our flying schedule in the region.

"We're keeping the situation under constant review and are directly in touch with affected customers to offer them a range of options. Since the situation in the Middle East began, we've helped thousands of customers return home and operated eight relief flights from Muscat in Oman.

"We are also operating additional flights to and from Singapore (x4) and Bangkok (x3) and continue to review options to bring back more customers who have been disrupted."

Emirates issues guidance to passengers with flights booked

Emirates has issued guidance to passengers with tickets booked until April 15.

The airline says travellers will have the option to rebook onto a different flight or request a refund. It said in a post on X: "Rebook on an alternate flight - You can rebook on another flight to your intended destination for travel up to 31 May, 2026.

"If your original travel date is within 72 hours, rebook by visiting http://emirat.es/managebooking or “Manage Your Booking” on the Emirates App.

"If your booking is for later, please contact us for assistance at http://emirat.es/support or http://emirat.es/xdm.

"Request a refund - You can request for a refund of your ticket by completing the refund form at http://emirat.es/refund. Please allow up to 15 days for your request to be processed."