War in Middle East paralyses international travel: Foreign Office issues new advice to British travellers as British Airways and easyJet cancel flights

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The Foreign Office has issued new travel advice to Britons heading to the Middle East as thousands of flights were cancelled in the worst crisis for global air travel 'since Covid'.

More than 1,500 flights heading to the Middle East have been axed globally, hitting the travel plans of hundreds of thousands of passengers - including Brits trying to return to the UK via hub airports in Dubai and Qatar.

More than a third of the flights scheduled to depart from the UK to the region today were cancelled, with British Airways and easyJet calling off several flights to Cyprus following drone attacks on RAF Akrotiri.

The chaos has sent airline share prices plunging, with BA owner IAG slumping by five per cent in morning trading and European carrier Air France down more than seven per cent. 

Meanwhile, plans are underway to evacuate more than 100,000 Britons from expat hotspots including Dubai and Abu Dhabi - where the authorities have ordered hoteliers not to evict stranded travellers.

Paul Charles, a travel and aviation expert who runs the PC Agency, said the disruption to global air travel was the worst since Covid.

A total of 539 flights from the UK to the Middle East are expected to be grounded in the seven days from March 1, equal to 180,008 seats, according to data analytics firm Cirium.

The Foreign Office has advised against travel to all countries currently under attack, including the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar.

Brits already in these countries have been urged to 'immediately shelter in place' as Iran continues retaliatory strikes following Saturday's air assault that killed its Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei.

The UK government is currently advising against all travel to Iran and Israel. It says anyone travelling to Cyprus should 'take sensible precautions' and follow the advice of local authorities, and advises against all travel to parts of Egypt.

For holidaymakers hoping to go to Turkey, officials currently advise against all travel to 'within 10km of the border with Syria' due to 'fighting and a heightened risk of terrorism'.

Paphos airport being evacuated following the drone attacks on RAF Akrotiri 

Analytics company Cirium said 1,555 out of 5,340 flights scheduled to operate to the Middle East on Monday were cancelled.

This included 735 to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and 255 to Qatar.

About half a million passengers use airports in Dubai, Doha or Abu Dhabi each day.

Several Middle Eastern airports act as hubs for passengers travelling between the UK and destinations in Asia and Australia.

At Sydney, hundreds of passengers have been sleeping overnight after having their flights cancelled. 

Flights between the UK and Cyprus have also been affected, with easyJet axing two inbound and two outbound flights connecting Paphos with Gatwick and Manchester, and one inbound and one outbound flight between Larnaca and Gatwick.

EasyJet said it had made the decision in response to Iranian drone attacks on RAF Akrotiri near Limassol, but its flights tomorrow were 'currently operating as planned'. 

British Airways has also cancelled a Larnaca flight today, with the airline saying it was 'closely monitoring the situation'. 

UK-based aviation consultant John Strickland said the disruption was 'pretty unprecedented'.

He said: 'The Gulf carriers are now so fundamental to much of global aviation, not least east-west flows between Europe and Asia.

'I can't recall a situation - other than the pandemic - where we've had these Gulf hubs out of action in this way before.

'We've had other conflicts in the region, but not, I think, really in the scale of military conflict or scale of activity that we have now with the Gulf carriers.'

Mr Strickland said 'hundreds of thousands of people' in Dubai or other Middle Eastern hub airports 'weren't supposed to be there'.

He said flight options to Asia for passengers in Europe who want to avoid the Middle East include using airlines that fly straight to countries such as Thailand and Singapore.

But he warned there is 'not much space' on these flights as they usually operate with most seats booked, and airlines have 'very little spare capacity available'.

Mr Strickland added: 'There's uncertainty about how long it's going to last.

'It's all a real complex web, and a mess.'

Jets taking off from the RAF base, which is in the south of the island  

If your flight has been cancelled following the outbreak of conflict, you could be able to request a refund, according to the UK Civil Aviation Authority.

However, if you still plan to travel, failing to follow office advice could invalidate your insurance - according to a page on the Foreign Office website.

It comes as officials continue to draw up plans for one of its biggest ever peacetime evacuations to rescue British expats stranded in the Middle East.  

Around 102,000 Britons have registered with the Foreign Office as the UK draws up plans for one of the biggest evacuations of its citizens in peacetime.

Amongst them is an army of influencers in Dubai, although some have vowed to stay on claiming it is still safer than London despite a wave of Iranian missile strikes and suicide drone attacks on military sites, oil refineries, airports and hotels.

Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said today there are around 300,000 British citizens in Gulf countries targeted by Iran.

And 94,000 of those have already registered with the Foreign Office as Sir Keir Starmer and his ministers are understood to be drawing up contingency plans to evacuate them over land from the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar to Saudi Arabia.

With Iranian missiles and drones still coming, Emirates Airlines confirmed that all flights operating through Dubai have been grounded until 11am GMT on Tuesday at the earliest. Qatar Airways have said that no flights will leave Doha until Tuesday morning, again at the very earliest.

Chaos at airports across the Gulf, including Dubai (pictured), as Iran hit back with drone and missile strikes, stranding 102,000 Brits in a region where 300,000 people from the UK live

British nationals are being told to register their location but stay put, for now. The UK Government has advised against travelling to 21 countries in the Middle East and the wider region.

Downing Street today said the Government is 'looking at all options'. 

The Prime Minister's official spokesman said: 'We are working on every possible option, we want resolution and obviously for airspace to reopen so people can get normal flights back again.

'We're in contact with the travel industry, airports and governments in the region. The situation is evolving very rapidly and its important we only provide updates when we have a clear picture and full information to provide.

'That's why we're recommending, at the moment, that people in those locations follow the safety advice about sheltering in place. But, as I say, we're looking at all options.'

The PM's spokesman added that 'intense escalation' in the region had seen 'increasingly reckless strikes from the Iranian regime targeting Gulf allies, including strikes on bases, airports and hotels which directly put British lives at risk'.

He continued: 'The safety and security of those British nationals remains this Government's top priority, the Foreign Office has stood up 24/7 consular support to assist those who require help on the ground.'

Now, hotels in Dubai and Abu Dhabi have been urged by officials to not force out visitors who have become stranded due to the mass flight cancellations and issues.

News outlet the Khaleej Times, revealed an email sent from United Arab Emirates' Department of Economy to hotels in Dubai.

The email to hotels in Dubai reportedly reads: 'We kindly request your cooperation in ensuring that hotel guests who were due to check out but are unable to do so as a result of these circumstances are offered the option to extend their stay under the same conditions as their initial booking.

'It is important that no guests are evicted under these circumstances.'

Hotels have also been asked to notify the tourism authority if guests cannot cover the costs of their extended stay.

Dubai Airports say 'a limited resumption' of flights will begin this evening, with a 'small number of flights' from Dubai International (DXB) and Dubai World Central. 

But they have urged travellers not to travel to the airports unless contacted by their airline with a confirmed departure time. 

Meanwhile, organisers of this weekend's Australian Grand Prix said they are confident the event will not be disrupted by the travel chaos, despite many members of staff being forced to rearrange flights.