Emirates cancels 'all' flights to three countries as UK tourists told not to travel
The British government is working to evacuate hundreds of British nationals from Lebanon amid fears of a regional war
by Bethany Gavaghan · ChronicleLiveEmirates has halted "all" flights to three countries due to "regional unrest" in the Middle East. UK tourists travelling via Dubai to certain destinations have been informed they will not be accepted for travel.
The British government is working to evacuate hundreds of British nationals from Lebanon amid fears expressed by Prime Minister Keir Starmer of a regional war. On Tuesday, October 1, Iran launched almost 200 missiles towards Israel in retaliation for Israel's campaign against the Hezbollah group in Lebanon.
Travel to and from countries near Lebanon have also been affected. Emirates, Qatar Airways and Flydubai flights, including some to and from the UK, have reportedly been disrupted either by cancellations or diversions.
In a statement, Emirates confirmed: "Emirates is cancelling all regular flights to/from Iraq (Basra and Baghdad), Iran (Tehran), and Jordan (Amman) on 4th and 5th October due to regional unrest. Customers transiting through Dubai with final destinations in Iraq, Iran, and Jordan will not be accepted for travel at their point of origin until further notice."
"Impacted customers must contact their booking agents for alternative travel options or contact us if they have booked with Emirates directly. Customers are requested to ensure their contact details are correct by visiting Manage Your Booking to receive updates", Birmingham Live has reported, reports Wales Online.
The UK government has urged citizens to exercise extreme caution, stating: "We continue to closely monitor the situation in the region and are in contact with the relevant authorities regarding developments."
The Foreign Office has issued a stark warning against all but essential travel to Iraq, with the exception of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI), while also advising against travel to Iran. The advisory warns that "British and British-Iranian dual nationals are at significant risk of arrest, questioning or detention. Having a British passport or connections to the UK can be reason enough for the Iranian authorities to detain you."
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