Oman and Saudi aviation sectors hold the fort amid the Mideast crisis

Published: 01:03 PM,Mar 10,2026 | EDITED : 05:03 PM,Mar 10,2026

Muscat: More than 43,000 flights of the 78,500 scheduled flights have been cancelled in the Middle East since the start of the war on February 28 to date.

According to Cirium, an aviation analytics company, 56 flights departed from Muscat on March 10, followed by 15 flights from Doha, 27 flights from Abu Dhabi, and 161 from Dubai.

Bahrain airspace has been totally shut from February 28 to date for commercial flights.

The airports that are least affected by cancellations in the GCC are Jeddah, 8.94%, Muscat, 16.67%, Riyadh, 10.15%, Dammam, 21.24%, and Sharjah, 35.19%.

Dubai has only 30.02% cancellations, but most of the flights are bound for Indian cities. Doha airport has 94.00%, with only special flights providing services.

Meanwhile, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) of Oman said that, in line with current regional circumstances, the civil aviation sector in the Sultanate of Oman continues its diligent efforts to enhance readiness and respond effectively to evolving developments, while upholding aviation security and safety standards.
These efforts are also due to the support of the relevant authorities in facilitating air travel for all those wishing to return to their home countries through Omani airports and air carriers, while ensuring the effective management of air traffic within Oman's airspace, the CAA said.

Oman Air said it continues to operate its network from Muscat, with the International Airport operating as normal.