BANGKOK, THAILAND – Flights between Thailand and Europe were severely disrupted after multiple Middle Eastern countries closed their airspace in response to military strikes on Iran.
February 28: How the Thailand–Europe corridor collapsed
In the early hours of 28 February, Israel and the United States carried out military attacks on targets in Iran. In response, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar closed their airspace. On departure boards in Bangkok, Phuket and Chiang Mai, one flight after another switched to “Cancelled”.
Most low-cost connections between Thailand and Europe ran via the Gulf states – Emirates via Dubai, Qatar Airways via Doha, Etihad via Abu Dhabi. These three hubs effectively came to a standstill. According to analysis firm Cirium, more than 12,900 flights were cancelled worldwide by Monday, affecting over one million passengers.
Scale of cancellations at Thailand’s main airports
Thailand’s tourism ministry counted 166 cancelled flights at five airports between 28 February and 3 March: Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, Phuket, Chiang Mai and Krabi. At Bangkok Suvarnabhumi, 59 services were cancelled, while Phuket lost 36. In total, 105 departures and 61 arrivals were removed from the schedule.
Inside the terminals, mass overcrowding did not materialise. Many travellers had already rebooked or cancelled from home before heading to the airport. The real pressure shifted elsewhere – to the overstretched rebooking hotlines of the major airlines.
Why Bangkok–Frankfurt suddenly cost over 64,000 baht
With three of the world’s most important hubs offline, demand concentrated on the few remaining routes. Thai Airways continued flying, using adjusted routings through unaffected airspace. Many airlines passed the extra costs from detours directly on to passengers.
Economy tickets on Bangkok–Frankfurt climbed above 64,000 baht. Flights through to the end of March sold out rapidly. Families searching at short notice for four seats reported offers exceeding 10,000 euros for the group, a direct result of the sharp mismatch between supply and demand on the limited open corridors.
Emirates and Etihad: What Gulf carriers offered
Emirates initially suspended all flights to and from Dubai until 3 March. Passengers with bookings between 28 February and 15 March were allowed to rebook free of charge – up to 14 days after their original travel date – or claim a full refund. Customers with bookings up to 30 April could switch to flights up to 31 March.
Etihad halted operations until 6 March. Tickets issued up to 28 February with travel dates until 21 March could be rebooked free of charge onto Etihad services until 15 May. Refunds were possible via the online form at etihad.com/en/help/refund-form, while Bangkok did not initially appear on the restart schedule.
Lufthansa Group: What EU passengers could and could not claim
The Lufthansa Group cancelled services to Tel Aviv, Beirut, Amman, Erbil, Dammam and Dubai until 8 March. Customers with tickets to these destinations, issued before 1 March with travel dates up to 15 March, were entitled to free rebooking on Lufthansa Group flights until 31 March or to a full refund.
Flat-rate EU compensation of 250 to 600 euros did not apply, as war was classified as an “extraordinary circumstance”. Under EU law this removed any claim to that payment. However, rebooking and full ticket refunds remained guaranteed in all cases and were not negotiable.
Qatar Airways: Closed airspace and mounting frustration
Qatar Airways proved to be the most problematic of the Gulf carriers. Qatari airspace remained shut and no date for resuming services was initially announced. Passengers were able to request a full refund of the unused portion of their tickets, while those who had booked via a travel agency had to contact that agency directly.
Reaching Qatar Airways by phone was extremely difficult, with hotlines continuously busy and the live chat function down. Customers were instructed to process rebookings and refunds through the official Qatar Airways website. Travellers also faced a clear warning: fraudsters had set up fake Qatar hotlines, so only the numbers and website listed in personal booking confirmations should be used.
Overstays waived: Thailand moved to protect stranded visitors
Foreigners stuck in Thailand with an expiring visa did not have to pay overstay fines – provided they acted. From 4 March, the immigration authority introduced an emergency rule: foreigners whose permission to stay had expired on or after 28 February would be exempted from overstay fees upon departure. Proof of flight cancellation had to be presented at the time of exit.
Those unable to leave were told to extend their stay at the Immigration Bureau, in increments of up to 30 days. The bureau could be reached on 1178 or +66 2 572 8500 on weekdays between 8:30 and 16:30. In Pattaya, the relevant office was located on Jomtien Beach Road, Soi 5, and travellers were urged not to wait until the last day but to appear early with their passports.
2,000 baht per day: Emergency financial aid for stranded tourists
On 2 March, the tourism ministry approved direct financial support of 2,000 baht per person and per day for each day on which departure was demonstrably impossible. The maximum payout was capped at 20,000 baht. Deputy permanent secretary Natthriya Thaweewong confirmed that the scheme had been authorised, although application procedures were still to be officially announced.
Claims were to be filed at the nearest TAT office or directly with the tourism ministry. The TAT hotline 1672 operated daily from 8:00 to 20:00, while the ministry could be reached on +66 2 283 1500. In addition, the Thai Hotels Association asked its members to offer stranded guests discounted room rates.
Package holidays: Better protection than individual trips
Travellers on package holidays were in a stronger position than individual tourists. If return journeys were delayed, tour operators had to cover accommodation costs for up to three days. According to the German Travel Association, around 30,000 customers of German tour operators were affected at the time. All communication had to go through the operator, not directly through the airline.
Where the German Foreign Office issued a travel warning, trips could often be cancelled without penalty fees. Travellers were advised to keep all receipts for additional expenses such as accommodation, food and transport, and to submit them in writing to their tour operator. These documents were also required for any subsequent travel insurance claims.
Alternative routes: Remaining paths back to Europe
Thai Airways continued operating to Europe, using adjusted routings that added up to 40 minutes to flight times. Turkish Airlines maintained services via Istanbul. From 8 March, Oman Air offered connections via Muscat to London, Amsterdam, Frankfurt and Milan, while Saudia also resumed long-haul flights to Frankfurt.
Travellers with flexibility could route themselves via Delhi, Mumbai or Kuala Lumpur to connect onto European carriers. These options were longer and more expensive than usual but remained available. Passengers were urged to buy tickets only through official airline websites or reputable travel agencies and to confirm booking status directly with the airline before heading to the airport.
How long would disruption last? Uncertain timeline, cautious advice
A reliable forecast for the duration of the disruption was not possible. A comparison with the attack on Iran in June 2025 showed that the acute phase then had lasted around twelve days before routes gradually returned to normal. Whether this episode would follow a similar pattern depended on how the broader conflict evolved, as Emirates and Etihad slowly phased services back in.
Passengers with flights in the following two weeks were advised to check their status daily with their airline and not to travel to the airport without a valid booking confirmation. The German Foreign Office’s travel and security advisories at www.auswaertiges-amt.de were highlighted as the most reliable German-language source.
Key emergency contacts for Germans in Thailand
For Germans in Thailand, a range of hotlines remained available. The tourist police could be reached on 1155 around the clock in multiple languages, while the TAT hotline 1672 handled tourism queries daily between 8:00 and 20:00. The Immigration Bureau was contactable via 1178 and +66 2 572 8500 on weekdays, and the tourism ministry on +66 2 283 1500.
The German Embassy in Bangkok answered on +66 2 287 9000, with an emergency number at +66 81 845 6224 and a crisis hotline in Berlin at 030 5000-87777. Major airlines published contact numbers including Emirates (+971 600 555 555), Etihad Bangkok (+66 2 253 0088), Qatar Bangkok (+66 2 459 0032), Lufthansa (+49 69 86 799 799), Turkish Airlines (+90 212 444 0849) and Thai Airways (+66 2 356 1111). Travellers were also reminded of the ELEFAND registration service at www.auswaertiges-amt.de and advised to treat comprehensive travel insurance with emergency cover as essential for future trips.