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Four flights cancelled at Birmingham Airport as most Middle East airspace stays shut over fears of missile and drone attacks

Four flights are cancelled at Birmingham Airport today (March 19) as most Middle East airspace remains shut over fears of missile and drone attacks.

By Isabella Boneham
Published

The US-Israeli war against Iran is now in its third week and it has thrown global aviation into turmoil, with flights cancelled, rescheduled and rerouted.

Birmingham Airport has seen its flight to the likes of Dubai and Doha continuously disrupted, with routes either cancelled or delayed.

A flight to and from Dubai is scheduled to operate at the airport today as Emirates is continuing to operate flights where possible.

However, four flights are cancelled at the airport.

Birmingham Airport
Birmingham Airport. (Photo: Stewart Writtle)

Listed below are the affected flights at Birmingham Airport today.

Departures

  • 07.40 to Doha - cancelled

  • 20.50 to Dubai - cancelled

Arrivals

  • 06.10 from Doha - cancelled

  • 18.45 from Dubai - cancelled

Dubai flights have been affected since the war began as Iran has been targeting the popular UAE nation.

On Monday (March 16) an Iranian drone hit a fuel tank near Dubai Airport causing a blaze and disrupting flights.

There were no injuries, but it marked the third attack on the Dubai airport since Iran launched assaults on Gulf nations on February 28, with strikes Tehran says aim at ⁠the US presence in the region.

While the United Arab Emirates and other Gulf countries host US military facilities, Iran has used missiles and drones to target civilian facilities such as airports, hotels and ports.

In a statement on X posted by the Dubai Media Office earlier on Monday, the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority said that there was a "gradual resumption" of some flights to selected destinations.

Emirates said it expected to partially resume operations at 6am GMT after the attack, which prompted authorities to divert some flights to the smaller Al Maktoum international airport.

Gulf Arab states have faced more than 2,000 missile ⁠and drone attacks since February 28, with targets including US diplomatic missions and military bases but also key oil infrastructure as well as homes and offices.

The Foreign Office still advises against all but essential travel to United Arab Emirates.