Hostilities in the Middle East have triggered widespread airspace closures across Iran, Israel, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Syria, and the United Arab Emirates, leading to significant disruptions for Schengen-bound travel www.visahq.com. Data analytics indicate that 1,579 flights involving Middle Eastern routes were canceled on Sunday alone, stranding thousands of passengers globally, including many Spanish nationals returning from destinations like the Maldives www.visahq.com. The Spanish Foreign Ministry has responded by advising citizens currently in Iran to depart and has noted that approximately 30,000 nationals are affected by the regional flight shutdown www.visahq.com.

In Italy, the closure of regional airspace has grounded dozens of flights and severely disrupted operations at Rome’s Fiumicino airport. Simultaneously, the opening of the Mobile World Congress 2026 in Barcelona has been compromised as thousands of international delegates are forced to find alternative routes due to the sudden cancellation of Gulf-based flight paths www.visahq.com. While airlines are providing waivers for rescheduling, the availability of alternative seats to Europe is rapidly decreasing, prompting travel insurance providers to issue guidance on claims for extended hotel stays and additional travel costs.