Thirty-seven flights to and from Ireland, primarily connecting through Dubai and Doha, have been cancelled as of Monday, March 3rd, 2026, following the US-Israel attack on Iran and subsequent airspace closures across the Middle East, according to Dublin Airport Authority (daa).
The cancellations are impacting services operated by Emirates, Etihad Airways, and Qatar Airways, key airlines for Irish passengers travelling to Asia and Australia. Dublin Airport confirmed on Sunday that Qatar Airways had cancelled its full schedule of two outbound and two inbound services between Dublin and Doha. Emirates and Etihad Airways cancelled early morning inbound and outbound services, with the remainder of their Sunday schedules under review. Further disruption continued on Monday.
Airspace over Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Israel, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar remains largely closed, according to flight tracking website Flightradar24. This has created significant challenges for global air travel, with over 1,200 flights cancelled on Monday morning alone, following 3,156 cancellations on Sunday, according to FlightAware.
The Department of Foreign Affairs has issued a “do not travel” warning for Irish citizens planning to visit Iran, Iraq, Israel, and Palestine. Irish citizens currently in Iran have been advised to shelter in place and prepare for an extended period of disruption. Those in Israel have been warned of the risk of rocket fire, drones, and ballistic missiles and encouraged to familiarize themselves with local protection protocols.
While there are currently no plans to evacuate Irish citizens from the Middle East, the situation remains fluid. The Irish Times reported that Irish citizens in the UAE could potentially be bussed to Oman if flights from Dubai and Abu Dhabi remain restricted. Passengers due to travel are advised to contact their airlines directly for the latest updates.
Dublin Airport has issued a warning to passengers, advising them to check with their airlines for the most up-to-date information regarding their flights. The disruption is expected to continue as long as airspace restrictions remain in place. Emirates flight EK162 to Dubai, scheduled to depart at 1:10 pm, and Qatar Airways flight QR018 to Doha, due to leave at 2:05 pm, were among the cancelled departures on Monday.
