Limited Resumption of Flights to/from the Middle East

Airlines across the world are considering the limited resumption of flights to and from Middle Eastern destinations, with those airlines considering these options appearing to base their decisions on very practical reasons. Of the three main Malaysian Airlines, AirAsia does not currently fly to the region, Batik Air flies only to Dubai and Malaysia Airlines has flights to a number of destinations. Batik Air has not announced any firm dates, although they have a flight on 8th March still available for booking.

Malaysia Airlines will resume return services to and from Jeddah (JED), and Madinah (MED) from 4th to 8th March 2026 on a temporary basis, following the suspension of services from 28th February due to airspace closures in parts of the Middle East. These flights will follow a modified route, flying in a dedicated emergency corridor. The first of these flights, MH156, took off this morning from Kuala Lumpur and has now landed safely in Jeddah. Disclaimer: Services beyond 8th March 2026 remain subject to further review, and the above services may be revised or adjusted as needed. Affected passengers are being notified and assisted with alternative travel arrangements where required.

Services to Doha (DOH) will continue to be suspended until 7th March as the airline continues to assess the security situation. All other flights, including services to London (LHR) and Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG), remain on schedule, operating on alternative routings well clear of the affected conflict zone.

All times are local

Limited Resumption of Flights affecting other airlines

Many aircraft of Middle Eastern Airlines are currently parked at various airports around the world. Today we’ve seen two Emirates A380 aircraft parked at Melbourne Airport with another in Brisbane, along with a B777.  Qatar has two B777s parked in Brisbane but we were unable to see any in Melbourne due to the airport layout. According to various flight tracking software, some of these aircraft have tentative scheduled flights added in the next few days, but whether these proceed or not will depend on the situation.

Travelling during an active war

All airlines have two main duties, which are to carry their passengers safely to their destinations, and to protect their assets, the aircraft. We received this advice from Malaysia Airlines, but it may be applied by passengers on any carrier.

….Passengers are advised to update their contact details via ‘My Booking’ for timely updates. Assistance is also available via Live Chat support available on the website or contact the Malaysia Airlines Global Contact Centre at 1 300 88 3000 (within Malaysia) or +603 7843 3000 (outside Malaysia).
The safety and well-being of our passengers and crew are our highest priorities. As flights resume, Malaysia Airlines is taking proactive measures to safeguard operations, including:

• Using alternative flight paths to avoid affected regions.
• Maintaining close coordination with aviation authorities and airport partners.
• Strengthening in-flight safety and operational procedures.
• Keeping passengers informed with timely updates and support.

Malaysia Airlines continues to closely monitor developments and will take all necessary measures to ensure safe and reliable operations.

We would also like to remind all our readers to check your travel insurance to make sure you are covered for various possibilities, as many providers explicitly exclude wars and riots in their policies. We have more information about this HERE and HERE.

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