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Original poster

To ask WWYD - flight home cancelled

258 replies

Twoshoesnewshoes · 03/03/2026 12:01

Posting for traffic - we are in Sri Lanka and due to fly home on Friday 13th with Qatar airlines, via Doha, to London Heathrow.
we booked through BA -
both BA and Qatar are saying that flights up to 8th March can get a refund.
we think we can fly to Singapore then direct to London- there are not many flights available, and it would cost around £1400 each (double our original flight).

WWYD - should we wait and see if airspace clears over Middle East?
or book another flight while they’re available and hope our original flight remains cancelled?
we can afford it but that will be savings cleared out.
please help
YABU - hold tight, air space may clear
YANBU - book another flight now!

OP posts:
Original poster
Twoshoesnewshoes · 04/03/2026 16:32

We’ve just booked flights via Singapore, £1400 for two of us, £85 cancellation fee. Leaving five days after our planned departure.
Will wait it out with BA anyway but good to have a plan B

OP posts:
ZingyAquaDog · 04/03/2026 16:13

My friends are currently in Sri Lanka and have managed to book flights home via Paris. Might be an option?

Hedeghogsandguineapigs · 04/03/2026 14:18

Better to get everyone home safe in my opinion.

KatieA12B3C · 04/03/2026 12:27

HangryBrickShark · 03/03/2026 13:15

My friends DS and her DIL are stuck in Dubsi. Were meant to be getting a flight to Manchester tomorrow which has now been cancelled. I'd suggest they sup up the cost and get out of there PDQ.

Did they manage to get another flight? I hope they are OK.

Squirrelsandhedgehogs · 04/03/2026 12:25

Yes that's the main thing @KatieA12B3C that they are safe.

Missile just intercepted going towards Turkey from Iran.

KatieA12B3C · 04/03/2026 12:24

NoahVale · 04/03/2026 06:36

my family are trying to get back from india , after an unforeseen change in travel plans - the ticket prices are extortionate

It's a nightmare isn't it, like you said the price of tickets are extortionate 🙁
I hope they arrive home safe and well soon.

KatieA12B3C · 04/03/2026 12:16

@Squirrelsandhedgehogs

Thank you, I hope so too. But like I said, at least they are safe there.

KatieA12B3C · 04/03/2026 12:14

Twoshoesnewshoes · 04/03/2026 12:04

@KatieA12B3C oh that’s rubbish! What a nightmare

It sure is. But they are safe, that's all that matters really.

Squirrelsandhedgehogs · 04/03/2026 12:10

Hope your DD can get home safely soon @KatieA12B3C

Emirates have just extended refunds to 12th March and cancelled flights to end of 7 March and allowing people to date change until 27th March. Press release on their website.

I think flights now coming in are empty and going out are taking invited only passengers on special flights back. The BBC had an article about one, accompanied by a fighter jet.

Original poster
Twoshoesnewshoes · 04/03/2026 12:04

@KatieA12B3C oh that’s rubbish! What a nightmare

OP posts:
KatieA12B3C · 04/03/2026 11:50

@Cyclebabble
My daughters insurers have said this ..... They have also advised that they are providing some cover regarding the middle east airspace however to clarify any coverage further, a claim will need to be submitted in order to review what we are able to refund.

notimagain · 04/03/2026 11:00

I wouldn't assume it's inbound empty, but who knows.

There's still going to be a demand for business travel between between the sub-Continent and the Gulf and of course a lot of the workforce in the Emirates also comes from that part of the world.

Justploddingonandon · 04/03/2026 10:53

ActoBelle · 03/03/2026 22:56

Thanks, will do that. An emirates flight from India is also incoming to Dubai. Bet that plane is fairly empty! Dunno maybe people ,desperate to get home from India with Dubai as a brief layover rather than people going for a holiday!

Show quote history

They may well be flying it in empty so they have a plane to fly people out of Dubai on.

KatieA12B3C · 04/03/2026 10:45

KatieA12B3C · 03/03/2026 15:13

Sorry for jumping on your thread.
My daughter & partner are stuck in Malaysia, they were supposed to be home today. They flew with Etihad. They cancelled their flight 2 days ago.
Kuala Lumpur>Abu Dhabi>London. They are unable to get in contact with Etihad, they have had no updates or offers of alternatives etc. It looks like their insurance won't pay up either as it's war! It's a nightmare, I know things could be worse. They are safe.

Edited

Well I had a message in the night (as it's 8 hours ahead there) that they had found another flight and booked it, for this Sunday. A straight flight from Singapore to London. About 4 hours drive to get to Singapore. YAY!
NOT ..... About half hour later another message saying the flight had been cancelled by the carrier!!!!

Now she has to do a dispute claim through her credit card now to try and get her money back for the Qantas flights

Cyclebabble · 04/03/2026 09:24

Twoshoesnewshoes · 03/03/2026 12:22

Here’s our insurance exclusion
Any consequence whatsoever which is the direct or indirect result of any of
the following, or anything connected with any of the following, whether or not
contributed to by any other cause or event:
•
war, invasion, act of a foreign enemy, hostilities or warlike operation or
operations (whether war has been declared or not), civil war, revolution,
rebellion or insurrection, civil commotion which is of such severity or
magnitude that it can amount to or be likened to an uprising, military power
(even if properly authorised by the duly elected government), usurped power,

bugger

checking flights, we can go via Singapore or Bangkok, most flights for the 13th/14th are about 70% full so should be okay to wait?

I am a travel insurer by trade. You are right to highlight that the exclusion does not provide cover under your policy. However, some insurers are going beyond policy terms in the current scenario to try and help customers. If you have purchased decent cover it is still worth a discussion with your insurer.

Horses7 · 04/03/2026 08:50

Hold tight for a bit longer.

Bikergran · 04/03/2026 08:46

Statsquestion1 · 03/03/2026 12:03

So will you be eligible for a refund?

Probably not. Acts of war are usually excluded from insurance/refund conditions.

Squirrelsandhedgehogs · 04/03/2026 08:44

Hope you can get your family back safely soon @NoahVale and without bankrupting them.

NoahVale · 04/03/2026 06:36

my family are trying to get back from india , after an unforeseen change in travel plans - the ticket prices are extortionate

Squirrelsandhedgehogs · 04/03/2026 05:42

This is the CAA guidance on what is covered. https://www.caa.co.uk/newsroom/news/guidance-to-passengers-facing-disruption-in-the-middle-east-and-cyprus-3-march-2026/

Pre flying my understanding is any flight originating in EU or UK operated by any airline is covered so with Emirates flights we are covered as not flown at all for a full refund if they cancel of the whole booking including return and connecting flights. If we go for reroute option they are only obliged to help on way out as they are a non EU carrier. I am not sure which category you will be in as Qatar is a non EU carrier and they are the operator. Though these are the minimums and they can offer more. It would be useful if BA could say if Qatar cancel would they reroute for free and / or refund in full now outbound is taken. When we were affected in 202O EVA Air refunded in full incl seats both ways, Air Asia offered credits when cancelled. As flights were not including EU and not on EU airline it was up to them. We did get half back via chargeback and used the credits 4 years later.

Guidance to passengers facing disruption in the Middle East and Cyprus - 3 March 2026 | UK Civil Aviation Authority

Passenger rights information

https://www.caa.co.uk/newsroom/news/guidance-to-passengers-facing-disruption-in-the-middle-east-and-cyprus-3-march-2026

Original poster
Twoshoesnewshoes · 04/03/2026 03:22

@WhatsitWiggle just flights

OP posts:
PrincessofWells · 04/03/2026 01:38

Twoshoesnewshoes · 03/03/2026 16:31

@BrendaSmall
im not particularly worried
however, if you read the news there are people in the Middle East who have had their flights cancelled and have had no update from the airlines.
flights in other routes are selling out fast or available at hugely inflated prices, or only business class seats left.
so I’m not worried but I am aware that there may be a long delay getting home if offered a reroute- see pp being offered flight in three weeks after the original flight.

The rules are different for non British and non EU airlines, it's why we always try to book with BA because they are legally obliged to get you alternative flights and will.
Don't compare your own situation with people who booked with foreign airlines because it will just panic you.

WhatsitWiggle · 03/03/2026 23:01

@Twoshoesnewshoes did you book the holiday through BA? Or just flights and arranged your accommodation yourselves?

If it's the package holiday, you'll have had a text from Duty Office. Call them - whilst they won't know when airspace is reopening, they'll help as much as they can with alternative options.

ActoBelle · 03/03/2026 22:56

notimagain · 03/03/2026 22:51

@ActoBelle

FWIW If you use flightradar's filter function to select DXB outbound flights only, then zoom out to view a big chunk of the globe you can see there have been a few flights out of there in the last few hours.

it's nothing like their normal rate but they've been trickling flights out as and when they can.

Thanks, will do that. An emirates flight from India is also incoming to Dubai. Bet that plane is fairly empty! Dunno maybe people ,desperate to get home from India with Dubai as a brief layover rather than people going for a holiday!

notimagain · 03/03/2026 22:51

@ActoBelle

FWIW If you use flightradar's filter function to select DXB outbound flights only, then zoom out to view a big chunk of the globe you can see there have been a few flights out of there in the last few hours.

it's nothing like their normal rate but they've been trickling flights out as and when they can.

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