The growing tensions in the Middle East following the US and Israel attacks on Iran have resulted in the closure of United Arab Emirates (UAE) airspace and the suspension of flights from South Africa to Dubai.
Image: REUTERS/Christopher Pike/File Photo
The growing tensions in the Middle East following the US and Israel attacks on Iran have resulted in the closure of United Arab Emirates (UAE) airspace and the suspension of flights from South Africa to Dubai. This has been confirmed by Airports Company South Africa (Acsa) and airlines.
Acsa Group spokesperson Ofentse Dijoe said that they note ongoing global flight disruptions due to the evolving situation in the Middle East and the continued closure of United Arab Emirates (UAE) airspace.
“Travellers scheduled to depart from South African airports to the Middle East and UAE are advised not to proceed to airport precincts until they have confirmed their flight status with their respective airline,” Dijoe said.
Dijoe added that South African citizens stranded in affected areas should contact the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) or the nearest South African mission.
“Acsa continues to monitor developments in coordination with aviation stakeholders. We acknowledge the frustration and anxiety caused by these disruptions and extend our support to all affected travellers. Travellers are strongly advised to rely on information from official sources. Further updates will be provided as more information becomes available,” Dijoe said.
Emirates Airline said that due to multiple regional airspace closures, they have temporarily suspended operations to and from Dubai.
“Emirates urges customers to check their flight status on emirates.com for the latest updates before proceeding to the airport. We are actively monitoring the situation and engaging with relevant authorities. We apologise to customers affected by disruptions for any inconvenience caused, and we are assisting them with rebooking, refunds, or alternative travel arrangements. The safety and security of our passengers and crew remain our highest priority,” it said.
Emirates added that customers should direct their complaints and queries to Travel updates | Help | Emirates.
On Monday, Qatar Airways said that flight operations remain temporarily suspended due to the closure of Qatari airspace.
“Qatar Airways will resume operations once the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority announces the safe reopening of Qatari airspace. A further update will be provided on 03 March by 09:00 Doha time,” it said.
South African Airways (SAA) said on Sunday that they advised customers that all commercial flights to and from Dubai have been temporarily suspended up until 15h00 UAE time on Monday 2 March 2026. “This follows the notification from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) that confirms the multiple regional airspace closure,” it said.
SAA added that customers with reservations on SAA codeshare flights operated by Emirates (EK) that are booked to travel on or before 05 March 2026 can be rebooked on the next available SA codeshare operated by Emirates (EK). “Trade partners are advised to manage their booking queues and inform customers of these changes accordingly,” it said.
SAA said that passengers whose flights are affected should contact SAA, if they have booked directly with SAA, to either rebook or cancel their tickets.
“They also have an option to choose a different travel date within the same cabin class, up to 20 days from their original departure date. Agents are encouraged to communicate effectively with affected passengers, as their contact details may not be reflected in the booking but rather in the agent's records,” it said.
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