Five US Air Force refueling aircraft were damaged in an Iranian missile strike on Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia, according to a report published by The Wall Street Journal and cited by US officials. The incident marks one of the most direct hits on US military assets in the region in recent years, underscoring the escalating tension between Iran and US partners in the Middle East. The tankers were parked on the ground at the time of the strike and sustained structura

The Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL) has increased the price of jet fuel sold to aircraft, citing rising international oil prices and higher import costs. The adjustment marks one of the steepest single‑step increases in recent years and reflects the broader volatility in global energy markets. MACL Managing Director Ibrahim Shareef confirmed that the new selling price for jet fuel is USD 1.69 per litre, up from USD 1.19. The 50‑cent jump represents a 42% increase, im

Tourism arrivals to Maldives remain sharply lower in early March, with new data showing a continued decline in daily visitor numbers as airline disruptions linked to the Middle East conflict affect global connectivity. Updated figures from the Ministry of Tourism Maldives show that 49,962 tourists arrived between 1st - 10th March 2026, averaging 4,996 arrivals per day. For comparison, February recorded 247,722 visitors over 28 days, which equals a daily average of 8,847 arriv

Maldivian, the national airline of the Maldives, has officially resumed its direct flights between Male’ and Dhaka, restoring a key air link between the two capitals after several months of suspension. The relaunch was marked with a ceremonial water‑cannon salute at Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, where the first inbound flight landed early Tuesday morning. The inaugural service, operated by an Airbus A320 with a full passenger load, touched down in Dhaka at 5

Lufthansa passengers are being warned of travel disruption next week after the airline’s pilots announced a two‑day strike beginning March 12, escalating an ongoing dispute over pay and working conditions. The industrial action, called by the German pilots’ union Vereinigung Cockpit, is expected to affect both short‑haul and long‑haul operations across the carrier’s network. The union said the walkout follows stalled negotiations with Lufthansa management, claiming that progr

An Air India Express Boeing 737 MAX 8 operating a scheduled service from Hyderabad to Phuket experienced a hard landing at Phuket International Airport today, resulting in damage to the aircraft’s nose landing gear and a brief ground fire caused by debris. All passengers and crew were safely evacuated without injury. The aircraft, operating as flight IX 938, touched down late morning in Phuket when it reportedly encountered a high‑energy landing. The impact caused the nose la

Air India has announced a significant temporary expansion of its international flight operations including additional services to the Maldives in response to widespread airspace disruptions caused by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. The airline will operate 78 supplementary flights between 10 and 18 March, adding more than 17,600 seats across nine major international routes. The move comes as several key West Asian air corridors remain restricted, forcing airlines to

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) says the ongoing conflict in the Middle East has significantly disrupted global jet fuel supply chains, with the near‑closure of the Strait of Hormuz sharply reducing the flow of crude and refined products. In its Chart of the Week published on 6 March 2026, IATA outlines how the sudden collapse in tanker traffic through the Strait has exposed structural vulnerabilities in the aviation fuel market, particularly for regions he

Etihad Airways has announced that it will restart a limited commercial flight schedule from 6th to 19th March, restoring service to a select group of international destinations including Male’, Maldives as the airline begins a phased return to operations following regional airspace disruptions. Etihad confirmed that flights will operate only after extensive safety and security assessments carried out in coordination with relevant authorities. All other scheduled commercial se

Severe airspace restrictions across the Middle East have resulted in over 19,000 flight cancellations between 28 February and 6 March, marking one of the most significant aviation disruptions the region has experienced in recent years. The shutdown has affected operations at Dubai (DXB), Doha (DOH), Abu Dhabi (AUH), Sharjah (SHJ), Kuwait (KWI), Bahrain (BAH), and Dubai World Central (DWC), all of which serve as major transit hubs for global travel. The cancellations follow th

The UK Ministry of Defence has announced the deployment of four additional Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter jets to Qatar, expanding Britain’s air presence in the Gulf as regional security concerns intensify. The aircraft will support defensive operations across the region, reinforcing the UK’s commitment to safeguarding its citizens, partners, and strategic interests. These newly deployed Typhoons will join the UK–Qatar Joint Typhoon Squadron, which has been operating in the

Emirates has introduced a reduced flight schedule following the partial reopening of regional airspace, restoring more than 100 flights across March 5th and 6th while continuing to prioritize safety and operational stability. Maldives is included in the airline’s updated list of destinations now receiving limited service, appearing in the fifth and sixth groupings of the operating network. MaltaToday The airline confirms that it will operate a restricted schedule until furth

The ongoing conflict in the Middle East has once again demonstrated how vulnerable the Maldives is to external geopolitical disruptions. In recent days, major Gulf carriers including Emirates, Qatar Airways, and Etihad Airways have suspended operations due to regional instability. The immediate impact on the Maldives has been severe. Within just the first three days of these operational disruptions, tourist arrivals dropped by 41 percent. For a nation whose economy is overwhe

Qatar Airways has extended the suspension of all scheduled flights until 6 March, following the continued closure of Qatari airspace amid heightened regional tensions. The airline confirmed that it cannot operate any inbound or outbound services through Doha while the airspace remains restricted under the directive of the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority (QCAA). The suspension has brought all passenger and cargo movements at Hamad International Airport to a standstill, with air

Flight cancellations at Velana International Airport (VIA) are set to continue for a third consecutive day, with 18 inbound flights scheduled for tomorrow now cancelled as the Middle East conflict forces widespread airspace closures across the region. Photo: Dhauru News The disruptions primarily affect major Gulf carriers like Emirates, Qatar Airways, flydubai, Etihad Airways, flydubai, Air Arabia, and etc. The present‑day conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran

beOnd has introduced additional flights between the Maldives and three major European cities, Munich, Zurich and Milan this week, expanding capacity for guests whose travel plans have been affected by recent disruptions. The airline says the move is aimed at ensuring travellers have more options to return home or continue their journeys to the Maldives with minimal inconvenience. The extra flights supplement beOnd’s existing European network, which continues to operate normal

Widespread airspace closures and ongoing conflict in the Middle East have pushed flight cancellations across several major regional hubs like Dubai (DXB), Doha (DOH), Abu Dhabi (AUH), Sharjah (SHJ), Kuwait (KWI), Bahrain (BAH), and Dubai World Central (DWC) to more than 9,500 flights. The scale of disruption means over 1.5 million passengers have now been affected, based on typical load factors for the airlines operating through these airports. The cancellations began escalat

Qatar Airways has announced that its flight operations will remain suspended until 3 March 2026, following the continued closure of Qatari airspace amid the escalating regional conflict. The airline confirmed that it will only resume services once the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority (QCAA) declares the airspace safe for civilian operations. The next official review is scheduled for 3 March at 09:00 Doha time (06:00 UTC), though the airline cautioned that this is a review point

More than 3,400 flights were cancelled on Sunday across seven major Middle Eastern airports Dubai International (DXB), Hamad International in Doha (DOH), Zayed International in Abu Dhabi (AUH), Sharjah (SHJ), Kuwait (KWI), Bahrain (BAH), and Dubai World Central (DWC) as widespread airspace closures continue in the aftermath of US–Israel strikes on Iran. Flight-tracking data shows that the cancellations stem from the near‑total shutdown of regional airspace, with Iran, Iraq,

Major Gulf carriers have suspended all operations as unprecedented airspace closures sweep across the Middle East, following US-Israel strikes on Iran and subsequent retaliatory attacks. The shutdown has effectively severed some of the world’s busiest aviation corridors, grounding thousands of passengers across Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha. Emirates confirmed that all flights to and from Dubai are suspended until 15:00 UAE time on Monday, 2 March, citing “multiple regional airsp