Current travel disruption in the Middle East- as of 4/3/2026

As the situation and disruptions continues across the Middle East- we wanted to provide you with an update with regards to holidays & flights. 

As a business, we are very fortunate that we do not currently have any customers who are currently in the Middle East and our thoughts go to those who are currently facing extended disruption.

If you are currently in the Middle East and you haven't done so already, then you should register your presence with the UK Government via the official channels. 

Please remember follow the instructions of the local authorities. If you are advised to take shelter, stay indoors or find the nearest safe building or designated shelter. An interior stairwell or a room with as few external walls or windows as possible may provide additional protection. 

There are a limited number of commercial options available, including by air from UAE and from Oman. If your presence in UAE is not essential, you may wish to consider departing - if you judge you can access these options safely. Check for the latest updates from your airline or tour operator, as well as the instructions from local authorities, and the status of any border crossings before you travel. If you are traveling by air do not travel to the airport unless your airline has confirmed your reservation.

Make sure you have access to emergency supplies and essential medication. Travel within or out of UAE is at your own risk.

Keep your departure plans under review and ensure your travel documents are up to date, including any visas required for onward travel.

• We’re actively monitoring FCDO Travel Advice 
• We’re in constant contact with Tour Operator partners during this ever changing disruption 
• We’re proactively contacting customers with upcoming bookings to ensure they’re signed up for FCDO Travel Advice updates 
• Where customers holidays are impacted, we’re proactively contacting them with updates and options 
• Where customers holidays have been cancelled, we’ll contact you with your options and next steps 

As of the 1500 on the 4th March 2026, the Foreign, Development & Commonwealth Office (FCDO) advices 'against all but essential travel' to Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Lebanon, Palestine, Qatar & the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

This means that you should not travel to any of these countries for leisure purposes. 

If you have an upcoming holiday booked to Bahrain, Qatar or the UAE and your holiday is affected- you will be pro-actively contacted in departure date order. 

We completely understand that many of you with an upcoming booking to the region has concerns about travel. However, we kindly ask that you continue to hold off on making any changes to future bookings whilst the Tour Operators & airlines continue to assist those customers currently in destination who require urgent assistance, and those who are due to depart imminently. 

If you have a booking with us that is affected by the disruption, we will contact you in due course. 

Tour operators are working through bookings in strict departure date order, many are taking each day as it comes simply due to the sheer number of people who are currently affected by the disruption. 

For context, Emirates alone carries approximately 150,000 passengers daily worldwide and operates 139 flights to the UK every week. 

For customers flying via the Middle East to an onward destination, if you have an affected booking, we will be in contact with you regarding alternative options in due course.  

A small number of airlines have taken the decision to cancel flights due to operate between the UK and Paphos/Larnaca on Tuesday 3rd March & Wednesday 4th March 2026. 

Currently there is no further cancellations and the FCDO Travel Advice for Cyprus remains unchanged. Therefore as it stands, holidays to Cyprus are going ahead as planned. 

Türkiye does share a land border with Iran but the holidays resorts may of us are travelling too are a significant distance from the border.

Türkiye is a very large country (it’s approx 3 times the size of the UK) and the distance by road between Alanya which is one of the most southerly holiday resorts UK Tour Operators offer holidays too is around 1200 miles away. 

There has been no change to the FCDO Travel Advice in terms of holiday destinations in Türkiye and therefore holidays are due to operate as planned. 

The airspace around Egypt is currently open and is currently busier than usual as many airlines are having to find alternative routes than those normally used over the Middle East.

Holiday resorts in Egypt are operating as normal, there has been no change to FCDO travel advice, therefore holidays are operating as normal

If you’ve changed your contact number or email address, ensure you update your travel agent as soon as possible. If you’ve booked directly then you should be able to do this in your customer profile or ‘Manage my Booking’Remember to only follow the official FCDO Travel Advice for the destination you are travelling too

• Sign up for official travel advice updates via the FCDO website
• If you’re due to travel imminently, keep a close check on your airlines ‘flight status’ webpage 
• Remember that lots of content on Social Media is unverified, this means content can contain and spread misinformation 
• If you’ve changed your contact number or email address, ensure you update your travel agent as soon as possible. If you’ve booked directly then you should be able to do this in your customer profile or ‘Manage my Booking’
• Be patient, if you’re not travelling immediately then do not contact your tour operator/travel agent/airline, allow them to assist the most urgent cases. If you are affected by travel disruption, you will be contacted directly.

Both Emirates & Etihad have restarted a small number of repatriation & cargo flights from Dubai and Abu Dhabi- these airlines have asked customers with booked flights back to the UK to only go to the airport if they have advised you to do so. 

Please continue to monitor the flight status section of these airlines websites for the most up to date information. 

This is all down to personal choice and only 𝗬𝗢𝗨 can make that decision, but here’s a few important things you need to think about;

• Tour Operators will 𝗔𝗟𝗪𝗔𝗬𝗦 follow the office FCDO Travel Advice
• Your 𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 is your Tour Operators 𝗻𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 and lots of thought and decision making is made behind the scenes before you step foot on an aircraft
• Where FCDO advice changes to ‘advises against all but essential travel’ Tour Operators will work though bookings in date order meaning 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝘂𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗶𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗮𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀. This means if you’re not travelling within the next 24/48hrs, unfortunately you will not be treated as an urgent case and patience will be required
• Tour Operators work within a time frame window- this means that once they have dealt with those customers that require urgent assistance, they will work through future bookings in date order, often cancelling holidays up to and including a certain date 

Please note that should 𝗬𝗢𝗨 change or cancel your holiday that does not fall into the time frame your Tour Operator is working to, this is often classed as '𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗹’, and as you are breaking your contract, you’ll be bound by the Tour Operators standard terms & conditions- this most likely will mean cancellation charges and/or amendment fees

We know it can be frustrating waiting to hear if there’s going to be any disruption to your holiday but this is done as FCDO ‘advises against all but essential’ travel advice can as quickly as it was implemented. 

Yes, 100%.

We’re seeing really competitive pricing for many destinations throughout the Med and further afield. There’s still plenty of free kids places up for grabs for both this, and next summer. We’ve also seen additional free kids places added to lots of destinations including Mexico and the Dominican Republic which is making these destinations extremely affordable this summer. 

We all know that having a holiday booked is something to look forward too and focus on. 

𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘂𝘀, 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲; 

• 𝗔𝗟𝗟 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗮𝘀 𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝘄𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝘁 𝗢𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗮 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘆𝘀 - this means that they’re completely protected under the UK Package Travel Regulations. 

If the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) official changes for the destination you are travelling too (via the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office) and advises against travel:

• You are legally entitled to a 𝗙𝗨𝗟𝗟 𝗥𝗘𝗙𝗨𝗡𝗗
• You are entitled to amend your holiday (𝗮𝗱𝗺𝗶𝗻-𝗳𝗲𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲) to an alternative destination (if you choose a new holiday that’s more expensive you’ll be required to pay the difference or if you choose an alternative holiday that’s cheaper, you’ll be refunded the difference) 

𝗡𝗢 𝘁𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗹𝘆 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗼𝗻 𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗮 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗱𝗲𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲. 

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗣𝗔𝗖𝗞𝗔𝗚𝗘 𝗛𝗢𝗟𝗜𝗗𝗔𝗬𝗦 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝘄𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗴𝗼𝗹𝗱;

A package holiday gives you significantly more protection than booking each of your holiday elements separately as there is 1 company legally responsible for the package as a whole. As a customer with a package holiday booking, this means;

• Your right to emergency assistance if you’re currently on holiday and disaster strikes
• Repatriation flights to the UK (if required)
• Refund protection if FCDO travel advice changes for the destination you are travelling too 
• A single point of contact