Middle East Conflict causes worst travel disruptions in years

Travel disruptions are at their worst in years due to the conflict in the Middle East. Since the U.S. and Israeli airstrikes, thousands of flights have been impacted, as shown by data from FlightAware, a flight tracking service. Major airports like Dubai, the busiest international airport in the world, as well as Abu Dhabi in the UAE and Doha in Qatar, faced shutdowns or strict limitations because much of the airspace in the region was closed. Dubai International Airport suffered damage from Iran's retaliatory strikes, and airports in Abu Dhabi and Kuwait were also affected. Dubai and nearby Doha are crucial for air travel between East and West, connecting long-haul flights from Europe to Asia. With these airports not operating, many planes and crew members were left stranded, causing chaos in airline schedules around the globe. “It’s the sheer volume of people and the complexity,” noted aviation expert John Strickland from the UK. “It involves not just passengers, but also crews and aircraft that are all over the place.”