FAAN Warns Travelers as Emirates and Qatar Airways Cancel Nigeria-Middle East Flights Following US-Israel Blitz on Iran

International travel from Nigeria has been thrown into a state of total disarray following the massive U.S. and Israeli military strikes on Iran this Saturday. The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) issued a “red alert” travel advisory on Saturday evening, informing the public that the “State of Harmony” in global aviation has been shattered by widespread airspace closures across the Middle East.

As the smoke cleared over Tehran, a domino effect of airspace shutdowns swept through the region, forcing giants like Emirates and Qatar Airways to halt their Lagos and Abuja operations. With the UAE, Qatar, and Kuwait effectively closing their skies to civilian planes, the primary transit arteries that connect Nigeria to Asia and Europe have been severed.

“We wish to inform the traveling public that ongoing airspace closures in the Middle East are currently impacting all flights to and from the region,” FAAN management stated. “As a result, major carriers have been forced to cancel or delay scheduled services. We strongly advise passengers to stay home and contact their airlines digitally rather than heading to the airport terminals.”

The impact at Nigeria’s major airports was immediate. Hundreds of passengers booked on morning and afternoon flights to Dubai, Doha, and Istanbul found themselves stranded as electronic boards flashed “CANCELLED” in rapid succession. The situation is particularly dire for those transiting through Dubai, as the world’s busiest international airport has suspended all arrivals and departures indefinitely to avoid the risk of commercial planes being caught in the crossfire of retaliatory missile strikes.

While the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is busy coordinating with Nigerian missions in the Gulf to ensure the safety of citizens abroad, the domestic aviation industry is bracing for a long weekend of chaos. Airlines like Air India and Turkish Airlines have already extended their cancellations through Monday, March 2, as the world waits to see if the military confrontation will escalate further. For now, the “Center of Excellence” in Lagos and the capital city of Abuja are feeling the tremors of a war thousands of miles away.