Escalating hostilities between Iran and Western forces have paralysed civil aviation across the Gulf and Levant, stranding an estimated 300,000 UK nationals. Missile strikes on 1-2 March closed Dubai, Doha and Riyadh airports, while a drone hit RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus. Airlines including British Airways and easyJet subsequently cancelled services, with the latter halting all Cyprus flights for 48 hours.
The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) updated travel advice on 2 March, now advising against all but essential travel to Qatar and against all travel to Iraq. British nationals in Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain are urged to “stay at home or shelter in place” until airspace restrictions ease.
For those now rerouting through alternative gateways such as Istanbul or Athens, VisaHQ can help secure any additional visas or transit permits at short notice, while also providing real-time updates on shifting entry requirements across the region. Travellers can review country-specific rules and submit online applications quickly at https://www.visahq.com/united-kingdom/
![Middle-East conflict leaves 300,000 Britons stranded; FCDO issues new ‘shelter in place’ advisories]()
Prime Minister Rachel Reeves told Parliament the government is “exploring all options”—including military-assisted departures—while rapid-response teams are being dispatched to UAE transit hubs. Large oil-services firms have activated evacuation plans for rotational staff, and insurers warn that war-risk premiums for the region have doubled overnight.
Global travel-managers should audit traveller-tracking data, confirm staff locations daily and review force-majeure clauses in mobility contracts. Those moving equipment or assignees through Gulf hubs should plan diversions via Istanbul or Athens until further notice.
With the Easter travel peak approaching, UK airports also face capacity pressure as airlines juggle aircraft and crews. Heathrow has asked carriers to submit revised summer schedules by 8 March to avoid bottlenecks once Gulf routes reopen.
The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) updated travel advice on 2 March, now advising against all but essential travel to Qatar and against all travel to Iraq. British nationals in Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain are urged to “stay at home or shelter in place” until airspace restrictions ease.
For those now rerouting through alternative gateways such as Istanbul or Athens, VisaHQ can help secure any additional visas or transit permits at short notice, while also providing real-time updates on shifting entry requirements across the region. Travellers can review country-specific rules and submit online applications quickly at https://www.visahq.com/united-kingdom/
Prime Minister Rachel Reeves told Parliament the government is “exploring all options”—including military-assisted departures—while rapid-response teams are being dispatched to UAE transit hubs. Large oil-services firms have activated evacuation plans for rotational staff, and insurers warn that war-risk premiums for the region have doubled overnight.
Global travel-managers should audit traveller-tracking data, confirm staff locations daily and review force-majeure clauses in mobility contracts. Those moving equipment or assignees through Gulf hubs should plan diversions via Istanbul or Athens until further notice.
With the Easter travel peak approaching, UK airports also face capacity pressure as airlines juggle aircraft and crews. Heathrow has asked carriers to submit revised summer schedules by 8 March to avoid bottlenecks once Gulf routes reopen.
