Singapore flag-carrier and budget airline Scoot announced that they will cancel many flights between Singapore and the UAE and Saudi Arabia as tensions in the region rise. This decision leaves many people without a way to travel and has created a need for alternative plans and future travel schedules. Both airlines originally announced the cancellations on February 28, 2026, and they have taken steps to extend them well into March. Singapore Airlines announced that flight cancellations to Dubai will continue until at least mid-March and potentially longer, as they determine the length of time until the situation stabilises.
The airlines have offered passengers with tickets for the affected flights the option to either rebook or receive a refund. The airlines are anticipating that additional flight cancellations will occur as military operations and airspace restrictions continue to affect their routes.
For tourists (and especially those going on pilgrimages), the immediate effects of the temporary closure of many airports in the Middle East due to political unrest include not just lost connections but also a need to rearrange hotel accommodations as well as potential job losses. However, according to aviation analysts, the bigger story revolves around how concentrated disruptions in the Gulf (the world’s major oil shipping regions and key transit locations for air traffic) are affecting global operations. Airlines are having to find ways to reroute long-haul flights, add hours onto flight times and find ways to use more fuel than normal while also trying to make changes to their flight and crew schedules that had originally been created several months ago. For example, flights between Europe and Asia that would normally travel through the Gulf are being detoured; many airlines have opted to shift capacity out of the Gulf to avoid flying through the affected airspace.
Southeast Asia is likely to be one victim of these effects because of Singapore’s significant imports/exports and interconnections to/from Asia. Crew shortages can affect even non-Middle Eastern aircraft by diverting them to other locations. Delays could mean missing meetings (which could include attending school) and supply chain disruptions for shippers when they try to ship goods through Singapore via air. Airlines will also incur significant operating costs as a result of increased operational costs caused by the current state of the airline business, intense competition and volatile fuel prices.
Airlines also assess risk when they are cancelling flights. By cancelling ahead of time, they minimise the risk of passengers and crew being stranded or losing their scheduling and reputational value with the public due to requiring in-flight returns or emergency landings at another city. The airlines evaluate their decisions from a financial perspective as well as an emergency standpoint because after they have established a flight as “suspended”, the airline has to deal with all of the insurance, regulatory and allocation issues related to that flight. Although some airlines are trying to assist their blocked customers through limited special flights, others are proceeding to cut back their capacity until they receive additional information regarding the status of the airlines they were originally planning to operate on.
Things to keep in mind: Check current flight status information and contact your airline regarding possible re-popularised flights if you are planning to travel to the Gulf. If your business depends on timely deliveries by air freight, consult your logistics parties regarding possible backup routes; and if you plan on travelling elsewhere, be prepared for longer-than-anticipated delays and possible schedule changes.
This episode introduces a troubling reality as we live in a hyper-connected world: The aviation system of today is quite strong and stable, but it’s not unbreakable. When there are increased tensions in neighbouring countries, the impact of those tensions will be felt across the globe – for example, at an airport terminal, in a stock market, etc. This scenario proves to all parties involved (including airline networks and travelers) that geopolitics continues to be among the most unpredictable factors impacting the cost of airline operations.
