Travelling to the Middle East or the UAE? Check with your airline first

If you’re planning trips to the Middle East or the United Arab Emirates, confirm your flight status directly with airlines before heading to the airport, as escalating conflict in the region continues to disrupt global air travel.

Yesterday (Sunday), Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) confirmed that ongoing hostilities in the Middle East – and subsequent closure of UAE airspace – are affecting flights departing from major South African airports.

What’s happening in the Middle East?

The current crisis has intensified dramatically over the past three days amid a widening conflict involving Israel, Iran and allied groups:

· Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been killed after Israel and the US launched an attack against Iran’s leadership and military

· Iran responded by firing ballistic missiles and drones at US assets and allies across the region, targeting Israel, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan

· The conflict escalated further following US and Israeli strikes on Iranian targets, with US President Donald Trump stating operations would continue ‘until all of our objectives are achieved’

· The Israeli military has launched strikes across Lebanon, targeting Hezbollah positions after the group fired missiles and drones toward Israel

· Iranian State media reports that the death toll from a missile strike on a girls’ school in southern Iran has risen to nearly 165

· Three US service members have been killed in action, according to US Central Command

· A suspected drone strike also hit RAF Akrotiri, a UK military base in Cyprus, though no casualties were reported

· The conflict has sent oil prices surging, rattled global stock markets, and triggered widespread flight cancellations, leaving hundreds of thousands of passengers stranded worldwide

Impact on South African travellers

ACSA has confirmed that the UAE airspace closure is affecting flights operated by Emirates and Qatar Airways.
Recent flight disruptions:

· OR Tambo International Airport (JNB): 8 cancellations (7 outbound, 1 inbound)
· Cape Town International Airport (CPT): 4 outbound cancellations
· King Shaka International Airport (DUR): 2 outbound cancellations

Passengers are strongly advised not to proceed to airport precincts until they have confirmed their flight status directly with their airline.

For assistance and rebooking:

· Emirates: www.emirates.com or +971 600 555 555
· Qatar Airways: www.qatarairways.com or +974 4144 5555 or +44 3309 127 416

Support for stranded South Africans

South African citizens currently stranded in affected areas should urgently contact the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) or the nearest South African mission. Call +27 12 351 1000 or email CICC@dirco.gov.za

Monitoring the situation

ACSA says it continues to monitor developments in coordination with aviation stakeholders and remains committed to passenger safety.

This remains a fast-moving and highly volatile situation. Travellers are urged to rely only on verified information from official airline, airport and government sources.

If you are scheduled to travel to the Middle East or UAE in the coming days, check first, and keep a close eye on credible news outlets and official advisories for updates.

SOURCES: www.theguardian.com | Airports Company South Africa | www.bbc.com

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