What You Need To Know About Travelling In The Middle East Right Now
The military conflict between Israel, Iran and the US comes at a big cost for all three countries and its citizens. It also has an impact across the globe in a number of ways, one of which is travel disruption. As the Middle East is a big transit hub for UK travellers, it’s important to understand what’s happening in the region, and how it might impact our travel plans.
Here’s the lowdown on March 11th – but as this is a fast-moving situation, check the latest news and advice for the current status, including Switched On’s travel advisory page for the Middle East conflict.
What’s happening in the Middle East?
Sadly for all involved, the conflict between Iran, Israel and the USA has led to drone and air attacks across the Middle East – even in areas not directly involved in the current war. This means that airspace across the Middle East is closed to travellers, and there are concerns about the stability of airspace going forward.
As it’s an important transit hub for global jetsetters, and areas like Dubai and Egypt are popular holiday destinations, this has had a significant direct and indirect impact on the travel industry.
Which countries are affected?
For travellers, Iran, Israel and currently Palestine are no-go zones. Countries with major impacts include Bahrain, Kuwait, Lebanon, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which includes Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi.
There are also restrictions or knock-on travel effects in the surrounding countries like Oman, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, Cyprus, Turkey, Jordan, Iraq, the Maldives and Sri Lanka.
This means many of the region’s big airline companies like Emirates, Qatar Airways and Eithad Airways have major disruption to their flight schedules. Also, international carriers like British Airways have suspended its services to Abu Dhabi, Amman, Bahrain, Doha, Dubai and Tel Aviv.
What to do if I’m in the area and need to get back to the UK?
If you’re in Bahrain, Israel, Kuwait, Lebanon, Palestine, Qatar and United Arab Emirates, visit the Foreign Office advice page to register with the government and get information on official routes back.
What do I do if I was planning to travel to these countries?
The first thing to do is check your flight status with the company through which you booked your travel, whether that was an airline or tour operator. They’ll be able to give you the latest news on the booking status. Many airlines that transit through the Middle East are trying to transit elsewhere, so it could be that your flight is still going ahead.
If the company has cancelled your flight or trip, you’re likely to be able to change it to another day, get credit, or get a refund – but check to understand your options.
The second major action is to read the Middle East travel advice from the Foreign Office on gov.uk. It will tell you the most recent recommendation on travel to each country. Depending on the live situation, you could be allowed to travel there, or they may recommend you do not travel. If you travel against government advice, your travel insurance won’t be valid.
If you have an insurance policy with us, Switched On’s travel advisory page also has information on what to do.
Will this impact my Easter or summer holiday?
It’s impossible to know if the conflict will last for two more days or two more months. If you’ve planned a break in – or transit through – the affected areas, don’t stress. Just keep tabs on the latest status of your holiday. If you haven’t booked accommodation or activities yet, you might want to book options with free cancellation if available.
What does insurance cover?
If you have a policy with Switched On, it won’t cover expenses caused because a flight is postponed or cancelled (check with the airline for provisions or reimbursement). As mentioned, your policy also won’t cover trips to countries when it’s against government advice to travel.
The conflict became official on 28th February. If you bought your policy on or after that, claims because of the conflict won’t be valid.
Finally, read Switched On’s travel advisory page for full information, including insurance cover if you’re currently in the area and can’t get back to the UK.