Gulf Airspace Closures Leave Asia-to-Europe Travelers Stranded and Bleeding Cash

Tens of thousands of passengers remain stranded weeks into the Iran conflict, as mass cancellations across Gulf hubs overwhelm carriers and leave travelers scrambling to find ways home.

Retired photographer Bernard Kuhn and his wife were stuck in Sri Lanka after Qatar Airways canceled their London-bound flight. After days of failed attempts to reach the airline — with calls dropping and no follow-up — they gave up, flew to Bangkok and waited 10 days before buying new tickets. The detour cost 5,000 pounds ($6,700), forcing them to scrap next year’s vacation.