As conflict between Iran, Israel and the United States escalated over the weekend, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Israel and Jordan closed their airspace, paralysing the region’s role as the major hub for Australia–Europe traffic. On 3 March 2026 the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) estimated that more than 115,000 Australian citizens and permanent residents are now stranded or transiting in affected countries.
Smartraveller, DFAT’s travel-advice service, urged Australians **not** to cancel existing bookings until they have spoken to their airline or travel agent. Voluntary cancellations may void fare-class entitlements, trigger additional fees or invalidate travel-insurance claims that generally exclude war events. Foreign Minister Penny Wong described the crisis as the “largest consular operation in Australia’s history” and confirmed that the government is negotiating with Gulf carriers and European partners to establish indirect evacuation corridors through Cyprus and Athens.
Airlines operating via the Gulf have grounded hundreds of services. Emirates cancelled almost 500 flights in 24 hours, Etihad 193 and Qatar Airways 423. With alternative routings via Singapore, Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur close to capacity, fare-prices to Europe have surged by up to 40 percent according to travel-management company FCM.
![Government warns 115,000 Australians overseas not to cancel flights as Middle East airspace shuts]()
If the shifting flight paths mean you’ll now be passing through unfamiliar countries, VisaHQ’s online platform can clarify entry rules in minutes and file urgent visa applications for you or your employees. The Australian site (https://www.visahq.com/australia/) covers everything from transit permits to full tourist and business visas, offering real-time status updates that can ease one worry while you search for seats out of the Gulf.
Corporate travel managers should urgently map personnel locations and prepare duty-of-care briefs that take account of curfews, local security restrictions and limited accommodation near airports. Mobility teams relocating staff to or from Europe may need to re-route shipments and household-goods logistics away from Dubai and Doha trans-shipment points.
DFAT has activated its emergency call-centre and is collecting details of vulnerable Australians, including business travellers with expiring visas. Consular officials caution that commercial flights, not military evacuation, remain the primary option and may take “days rather than hours” to materialise. Travellers are advised to register on Smartraveller and monitor airline communications continuously.
Smartraveller, DFAT’s travel-advice service, urged Australians **not** to cancel existing bookings until they have spoken to their airline or travel agent. Voluntary cancellations may void fare-class entitlements, trigger additional fees or invalidate travel-insurance claims that generally exclude war events. Foreign Minister Penny Wong described the crisis as the “largest consular operation in Australia’s history” and confirmed that the government is negotiating with Gulf carriers and European partners to establish indirect evacuation corridors through Cyprus and Athens.
Airlines operating via the Gulf have grounded hundreds of services. Emirates cancelled almost 500 flights in 24 hours, Etihad 193 and Qatar Airways 423. With alternative routings via Singapore, Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur close to capacity, fare-prices to Europe have surged by up to 40 percent according to travel-management company FCM.
If the shifting flight paths mean you’ll now be passing through unfamiliar countries, VisaHQ’s online platform can clarify entry rules in minutes and file urgent visa applications for you or your employees. The Australian site (https://www.visahq.com/australia/) covers everything from transit permits to full tourist and business visas, offering real-time status updates that can ease one worry while you search for seats out of the Gulf.
Corporate travel managers should urgently map personnel locations and prepare duty-of-care briefs that take account of curfews, local security restrictions and limited accommodation near airports. Mobility teams relocating staff to or from Europe may need to re-route shipments and household-goods logistics away from Dubai and Doha trans-shipment points.
DFAT has activated its emergency call-centre and is collecting details of vulnerable Australians, including business travellers with expiring visas. Consular officials caution that commercial flights, not military evacuation, remain the primary option and may take “days rather than hours” to materialise. Travellers are advised to register on Smartraveller and monitor airline communications continuously.
