Dubai airport chaos: Viral visuals show passengers stranded after Gulf airspace closure

Thousands stranded at Dubai, Abu Dhabi airports as Gulf airspace closes amid tensions.

Dramatic visuals from Dubai’s airports showing thousands of stranded passengers have gone viral, underlining the scale of disruption caused by the escalating conflict across the Gulf. With airspace closures imposed as a precautionary security measure, travellers were seen waiting anxiously inside terminals, unsure when flights would resume.

Videos circulating on social media show crowded halls at Dubai International Airport, with passengers seated on floors, clustered around airline counters, and constantly checking their phones for updates. Airline staff were seen working continuously as flight information screens displayed cancellations and delays. Similar scenes were reported at Abu Dhabi International Airport, both of which serve as major global transit hubs.

According to users sharing the footage, the sudden shutdown of airspace over the United Arab Emirates left thousands in limbo. One widely shared post claimed that UAE authorities had temporarily closed the country’s airspace, prompting major carriers such as Emirates and flydubai to suspend services until further notice. Passengers were advised not to travel to airports and to contact airlines directly for rebooking or refunds.

Dubai International Airport has been paralyzed Flights have been suspended indefinitely. pic.twitter.com/vlyvCC86Ct

— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) February 28, 2026

Another user urged calm, saying travellers deserved clear and accurate communication rather than panic, while hoping for the safety of those stuck at the airport amid rapidly changing developments.

In an official statement, airport authorities confirmed that departures and arrivals at both Dubai and Abu Dhabi had been suspended due to the evolving security situation. Passengers were again advised to avoid travelling to airports and to rely only on airline channels for updates on flight schedules.

The disruptions come amid reports of fresh explosions across parts of the Gulf, heightening concerns over airspace safety. The closures followed a sharp escalation after Iran launched retaliatory missile strikes in response to a joint US and Israeli attack earlier in the day.

Explosions were reported in several regional cities, including Abu Dhabi and Riyadh, as tensions spread beyond the immediate conflict zone. A US military base in Bahrain was also reportedly targeted. Satellite imagery cited in reports suggested that the United States Navy had repositioned multiple vessels away from its Bahrain base in recent days amid rising tensions with Iran.