GCC Targeted by Iranian Strikes: Air Arabia Extends Flight Suspension for Third Consecutive Day

Sharjah-based Air Arabia announced on Monday the extension of its flight suspensions until 3 p.m. on Tuesday, March 3, amid ongoing regional military tensions following Iranian strikes targeting multiple areas across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

The low-cost carrier attributed the decision to “multiple airspace closures” across the Gulf and neighboring regions, stating via social media platform X that “Air Arabia flights to and from the UAE are temporarily suspended until 3 p.m. UAE time on Tuesday, March 3.”

Flights to Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, and Iraq will remain suspended until March 4, 2026, as part of precautionary measures. The move follows similar actions by Emirates and flydubai, both of which have halted operations until March 3 due to the escalating conflict.

Over 2,000 Inbound Flights Cancelled

According to global aviation analytics firm Cirium, more than 2,000 inbound flights across the Gulf and wider Middle East were cancelled as of 2:30 a.m. on Tuesday. These account for nearly half of all scheduled flights, with the total number of affected departures and arrivals estimated to be roughly double when considering return operations.

“There are around 900,000 seats per day scheduled to fly to the Middle East from points abroad, and within the region,” the analytics company reported. “Given that airspace in several countries has been completely closed, cancellation rates in some areas should reach 100 per cent. However, some airlines have not yet updated their systems to record these cancellations officially.”

Air travel across the GCC remains significantly disrupted amid escalating regional tensions, with authorities closely monitoring the situation.