War, Shutdowns, Fuel Shocks: Travel’s Most Brutal Month in Years
Photo Credit: Zayed International Airport in Abu Dhabi. Wikimedia Commons / Vincent van Zeijst
Skift Take
From Dubai to Delhi to several U.S. cities, March revealed how quickly the whole system can break down.
March has been a punishing month for the travel industry — one set in motion on February 28, when the Iran war triggered disruptions not seen at this scale since the pandemic.
That was the start of a rolling crisis. In the U.S., airlines are grappling with the effects of a partial government shutdown, while soaring fuel prices are squeezing margins and pushing fares higher.
Here are the key events Skift reported that defined a turbulent month for travel.
February 28: Middle East Sees Massive Flight CancellationsThe joint U.S.-Israel attacks on Iran triggered large-scale flight cancellations in the Middle East and airspace closures throughout the region. Emirates said it suspended flights out of Dubai due to those closures.
Flights that were en route to Israel were diverted to alternate airports, and international carriers such as Swiss and airBaltic suspended flights to Tel Aviv.
March 1: Dubai's Tourism Industry Impacted
