Tourism Remains “Calm” as Aegean Cancels More Middle East Flights

• Aegean Airlines has extended flight cancellations across multiple destinations in the Middle East.
• Flights to Tel Aviv, Beirut, Baghdad, and Erbil are suspended until March 13, 2026.
• Flights to Dubai and Abu Dhabi remain cancelled until March 12.
• Flights to Riyadh are suspended until March 9.
• Passengers may request refunds, vouchers, or free ticket changes.

While tourism officials continue to speak confidently about a “calm market” and resilient demand, airlines are quietly adjusting their flight schedules to match the realities of the moment.

Aegean Airlines confirmed additional cancellations this week affecting routes across the Middle East, citing the ongoing geopolitical developments in the region.

The airline announced that flights connecting Athens and other European gateways with Tel Aviv, Beirut, Baghdad, and Erbil will remain suspended until the early hours of March 13, 2026.

Meanwhile, flights to Dubai and Abu Dhabi are cancelled until the evening of March 12, while flights to Riyadh are suspended until March 9.

In aviation terms, this is what the industry often calls a “temporary adjustment.”

Passengers Offered Flexible Options

Travelers holding tickets on affected flights will receive notifications directly from Aegean or through their travel agencies.

Passengers can choose between several options:

• Full ticket refunds
• Credit vouchers for future travel
• Free date changes without additional fees

In addition, passengers booked on flights scheduled until March 19 to destinations including Tel Aviv, Erbil, Baghdad, Beirut, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Riyadh may change their travel dates without penalties.

New departures can be rescheduled until April 30, 2026.

Monitoring the Situation

Aegean stated it continues to monitor developments closely and will update passengers if conditions change.

This is standard language for airlines navigating unstable airspace.

After all, while the tourism industry may describe the global travel market as calm, aviation tends to operate on a simpler principle: When missiles appear on the map, flight schedules tend to disappear from it.