Between February 28 and March 6, 98 flights, including 80 passenger flights, operated by Qatar Airways, Emirates and Etihad Airways, were either cancelled or rescheduled on routes to and from Vietnam, with an estimated 20,000 passengers affected, reported the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV).

Qatar Airways, Emirates and Etihad Airways operate regular flights to/from Vietnam connecting Doha (Qatar), Dubai, and Abu Dhabi (UAE) to Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Da Nang with an average total frequency of approximately 12 flights per day, equivalent to 84 flights per week.

These airports serve as key transit hubs in the international route networks of Middle Eastern airlines, particularly for connections between Vietnam and regions such as Europe, North America and Africa.

Before the conflict escalated, the three carriers operated more than 7,000 flights to and from Vietnam in 2025, transporting nearly 1.4 million passengers and more than 151,000 tonnes of cargo, helping maintain global aviation connectivity and trade flows.

However, their flights were canceled or rescheduled on routes to and from Vietnam between February 28 to March 6.

Qatar Airways alone cancelled 31 flights between Vietnam and Doha from March 5 to 9, affecting about 4,800 passengers, mainly on the Ho Chi Minh City – Doha and Hanoi – Doha air routes.

Etihad Airways suspended 6 flights to and from Abu Dhabi between March 5 to 7 with total 1,468 affected passengers.

Emirates also canceled six flights on the Dubai – Ho Chi Minh City route and vice versa, impacting an estimated 1,000 passengers.

According to the CAAV, Vietnam currently has relatively few direct routes to Europe, North America and Africa. Airports in the Middle East therefore play a crucial role as transit hubs for passengers and cargo travelling between Vietnam and these regions.

As a result, airspace closures or restrictions in the Middle East have disrupted international aviation connectivity, affecting passenger travel plans and cargo transport while forcing airlines to adjust flight schedules, extend flight times and incur additional operating costs.

The CAAV said it would continue to coordinate with airlines such as Qatar Airways, Emirates, and Etihad Airways to promptly update information on the opening and closing of airspace in the Gulf region, including Iran, Iraq, Israel, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Syria, United Arab Emirates, and Jordan.

At the same time, the CAAV would work with airports and domestic aviation service providers to meet the overnight parking demand, and prepare plans to deal with the risk of sudden increases in aviation fuel prices.

Passengers are also advised to choose other airlines and alternative transit hubs in Northeast Asia such as the Republic of Korea, Japan, and China; in Southeast Asia such as Singapore, Thailand, and Malaysia; or transit hubs in Turkey and North Africa such as Ethiopia.

The CAAV urges Vietnamese airlines to increase capacity on routes to and from Europe and Central Asia to ensure international passenger and cargo transport, while maintaining supply chains.

Foreign airlines operating routes to and from Europe, North America and Africa are also encouraged to increase flight frequencies to support passengers affected by the Middle East conflict and facilitate cargo transport, particularly for key import and export goods.

Middle East airlines support Vietnamese passengers after flight disruptions

VOV.VN - Several Middle East airlines operating routes to Vietnam have introduced flexible support policies for passengers affected by flight cancellations and schedule adjustments caused by escalating tensions in the Middle East.