Qatar Airways has announced the launch of limited relief flights from Muscat and Riyadh to assist passengers stranded by widespread airspace disruptions across the Middle East. The move comes as Qatari airspace remains temporarily closed amid escalating regional tensions involving the United States, Israel, and Iran, forcing airlines to suspend or reroute many flights across the region.

The airline said the special operations will begin on March 5 and will focus on transporting affected passengers to major European destinations. Qatar Airways plans to operate flights from Muscat, the capital of Oman, to cities including London Heathrow, Berlin, Copenhagen, Madrid, Rome, and Amsterdam. Another flight is scheduled to depart from Riyadh in Saudi Arabia to Frankfurt.

Passengers will be contacted directly by the airline regarding these relief services, and travelers have been advised not to go to airports unless they receive official notification confirming their booking. Qatar Airways has also urged customers to ensure their contact information is updated through the airline’s website or mobile app so that travel instructions and flight updates can be delivered quickly.

Regional Disruptions Leave Thousands Stranded

The relief flights are part of a broader effort across the Gulf region to help travelers affected by the ongoing airspace closures. Qatar’s Civil Aviation Authority continues to keep the country’s airspace closed for safety reasons, with authorities reviewing the situation regularly as regional conditions evolve.

The disruptions have affected thousands of travelers who were either passing through Gulf hub airports or planning to depart from them. Many airlines have temporarily suspended scheduled operations in response to the situation. Carriers such as Emirates and Etihad Airways have halted several flights, while others have adjusted schedules until regional airspace conditions stabilize.

Neighboring countries have taken steps to manage the disruption. In the United Arab Emirates, authorities coordinated a series of special evacuation and repatriation flights to help passengers leave the country. According to aviation officials, roughly 17,500 people departed on around 60 special flights during the first days of the crisis.

Some airlines have already resumed limited services where conditions allow. Flights between Dubai and London have restarted on certain routes, while several regional carriers including flydubai and Air India have also resumed selected operations to reconnect key travel corridors.

The situation remains fluid, and airlines continue to monitor developments closely. Qatar Airways emphasized that the safety of passengers and crew remains the company’s top priority and that operations will fully resume once aviation authorities confirm that the reopening of Qatari airspace is safe.

Meanwhile, the Qatari government has introduced measures to support travelers affected by the disruption. Authorities announced that entry visas nearing expiration for visitors in the country will be automatically extended for one month, helping stranded travelers remain legally in the country without additional fees or paperwork.

While uncertainty remains around when regular flights will resume, the relief flights from Muscat and Riyadh are expected to provide a critical travel lifeline for passengers seeking to return to Europe and other destinations during the ongoing regional disruption.

The escalating conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran is beginning to weigh heavily on the Middle East’s tourism sector, threatening to derail years of investment aimed at positioning the region as a global travel hub. Analysts warn the fallout could result in tens of millions fewer visitors traveling to the region in 2026 and billions of dollars in lost tourism revenue.

Tourism across the Middle East had been experiencing strong growth before the crisis. Countries such as the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Qatar had been attracting rising numbers of international visitors thanks to major investments in hospitality infrastructure, airline connectivity and large-scale tourism development projects. That momentum has now slowed sharply as the conflict triggers widespread travel disruptions.

Airspace closures across parts of the region have already grounded thousands of flights and left travelers stranded. Within the first 48 hours after the initial missile and drone attacks, more than 5,000 flights were removed from global schedules. Major aviation hubs, including Dubai International Airport, have faced operational disruptions as airlines cancel routes and governments issue travel warnings.

Many travelers currently visiting tourism hotspots such as Dubai and Doha have been trying to secure limited evacuation or repatriation flights. At the same time, several governments have advised citizens to avoid non-essential travel to parts of the Middle East until the situation stabilizes.

Forecasts Point to Sharp Drop in Visitors

New projections from Tourism Economics suggest the conflict could significantly reduce international arrivals across the region. The consultancy estimates inbound travel to the Middle East could decline between 11 percent and 27 percent in 2026 compared with earlier forecasts that had expected strong growth.

In practical terms, that could translate into between 23 million and 38 million fewer international visitors than previously projected. The decline would also have a major financial impact. Analysts estimate that the region could lose between $34 billion and $56 billion in visitor spending this year.

The Gulf Cooperation Council countries are expected to face the most significant losses in visitor volume. The United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia in particular rely heavily on international aviation traffic and have built their tourism strategies around global connectivity and perceptions of stability. When security concerns increase, demand for long-haul travel to these destinations can quickly weaken.

Tourism data also shows early signs of booking declines. Vacation rental cancellations in the United Arab Emirates more than doubled shortly after the first attacks, with thousands of stays scheduled for March being scrapped.

Global Travel Disruptions and Industry Response

The impact of the conflict extends well beyond the Middle East itself. Airports in the region handle roughly 14 percent of global transit passengers, making them essential connectors between Europe, Asia and other long-haul travel markets. When these hubs face disruptions, the effects can ripple across international flight networks and travel demand worldwide.

Some airlines have already reported shifts in traveler behavior. Industry executives say bookings for destinations in southern Europe, including Greece, Italy and Portugal, have increased as travelers look for alternatives to the Middle East ahead of the Easter holiday period.

Despite the current disruption, tourism leaders remain cautiously optimistic about the sector’s long-term resilience. The Middle East tourism market is valued at approximately $367 billion annually, and the region has historically recovered relatively quickly from geopolitical shocks.

Industry groups say demand tends to rebound once stability returns. For now, however, uncertainty surrounding the duration of the conflict continues to weigh on travel confidence and booking trends across the region.

Airbnb is expanding its flexible payment options with the launch of “Reserve Now, Pay Later” for travelers in Canada, giving guests the ability to secure certain accommodations without paying at the time of booking. The feature applies to eligible listings worldwide that offer moderate or flexible cancellation policies and is designed to give travelers more time to finalize payments while locking in their preferred stays.

With the new option, guests can confirm a reservation and delay payment until shortly before the listing’s free cancellation window closes. The payment structure preserves existing cancellation rules set by hosts, while ensuring that hosts still receive payment before the free cancellation period ends. This approach allows hosts to reopen availability and potentially secure another booking if a guest cancels.

Airbnb says the feature reflects growing demand for flexibility in travel planning, particularly for group trips where payment coordination can slow down booking decisions. Survey data cited by the company indicates that 52 percent of Canadian travelers consider flexible payment options important when booking a vacation, while 45 percent say they already use such options when available.

The research also found that 35 percent of respondents had missed out on preferred accommodations because it took too long to coordinate payments with travel companions.

The company also pointed to early results from a similar rollout in the United States. According to Airbnb, the introduction of Reserve Now, Pay Later there contributed to stronger booking momentum late last year. As the company stated in its announcement: “This marks a major step forward in Airbnb’s commitment to offering more flexible options for guests that we believe will lead to more bookings for hosts.”

The new payment feature joins other flexible booking options already available on the platform, including “Pay Part Now, Part Later,” which allows travelers to split payments, and installment plans offered through Klarna. Together, these tools are intended to make travel planning more accessible, particularly for longer trips or group bookings that require more coordination.

Airbnb’s Vision To Become A One-Stop Travel Platform

The introduction of additional payment flexibility comes as Airbnb continues to broaden its ambitions beyond short-term rentals. Company executives have recently emphasized a strategy of turning Airbnb into a platform capable of organizing an entire trip rather than just providing accommodations.

Speaking at the ITB travel conference in Berlin, Airbnb’s Global Head of Real Estate Jesse Stein described the platform’s long-term vision as a place where travelers can plan every aspect of their journey. That vision includes not only vacation rentals but also hotels, experiences and potentially transportation services such as airport transfers.

Airbnb has already been testing airport pickup and private car transfer options in several regions outside North America. Although the company has not formally announced a global rollout, the ongoing tests suggest ground transportation may eventually become another element within the platform’s travel ecosystem.

The company is also exploring ways to expand hotel inventory on the platform, particularly through partnerships with independent boutique properties. Stein said the goal is to offer travelers both homes and high-quality hotels that fit Airbnb’s brand identity while providing hotel operators access to Airbnb’s global audience at lower customer acquisition costs.

Despite these expansions, executives stress that short-term home rentals remain the core of the business. As Stein noted, “The heart of Airbnb and our soul is in our homes business and that will never change.”