Flight disruptions to Middle East continue as Czech officials plan security measures

UPDATED (9:43 a.m.) Airlines canceled 17 flights from Vaclav Havel Airport Monday, all to Middle East destinations. Meanwhile, two repatriation flights departed for Muscat and Salalah in Oman to bring home stranded Czechs, airport spokeswoman Denisa Hejtmankova said.

Canceled routes included Tel Aviv, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Doha. Hejtmankova added that most passengers are aware of the disruptions and are staying home.

Today, the check-in counters of the Qatar Airways and Emirates are open to passengers at the airport. "Passengers who have already arrived at the airport will receive detailed information here," the airport said on X.

Thirty-two flights were canceled from Václav Havel Airport Prague on Sunday, all bound for Middle Eastern destinations, due to air traffic restrictions following the closure of regional airspace after U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran and Tehran’s retaliation this weekend.

Several flights operated by Qatar Airways, Emirates and Kuwait Airways remain disrupted or canceled Monday morning, according to the airport’s online departures board. Air connections to Israel and the United Arab Emirates remain suspended due to closed airspace.

Repatriation flights are scheduled to depart Prague on Monday to transport Czech citizens from Oman.

In a statement, Smartwings said flights to Israel and the United Arab Emirates from Prague remain suspended due to airspace closures.

“If the airspace is reopened, Smartwings will immediately resume flights to and from the UAE and Israel,” the airline said.

Thousands of flights have been affected since the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran on Saturday, according to FlightAware. Flightradar24 reported more than 3,400 cancellations at seven major Middle Eastern airports alone.

Prime Minister Andrej Babiš has called a meeting of the State Security Council for Monday morning to discuss repatriation efforts and the country’s preparedness for possible developments, including extraordinary security measures.

Foreign Minister Petr Macinka said about 3,500 Czech citizens were registered in the Drozd voluntary travel registration system in the United Arab Emirates as of Sunday before noon, about 900 in Oman, hundreds in Jordan and Israel, around 100 in Saudi Arabia, and dozens in other countries. Four Czech citizens were in Iran.

Airports across the Middle East are closed or operating at limited capacity. Some facilities have reportedly been damaged by Iranian drone strikes, including airports in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Kuwait.

Analysts warn the conflict could disrupt not only air and sea transport but also oil prices and global trade.

National security adviser Hynek Kmoníček said in a televised interview Sunday that while some radicalization within parts of Europe’s Muslim community may be expected, there is no indication of a large-scale threat in Czechia.

He added that Czech security forces are monitoring the situation and are prepared.

In a Sunday Facebook post Czech air industry platform PRG:airside, publishing news, photos and video from LKPR/PRG airport traffic predicted disruptions of "several days before the situation in the Middle East calms down."

Airport officials advised passengers to wait for updates from their airlines. Check-in counters for Qatar Airways and Emirates will remain open to provide information to passengers already at the airport. Flights on Emirates may be refunded or rebooked; Qatar has said it will post on update later today.

While normal commercial service has not resumed some routes are still bookable for example, flights from Prague to parts of Egypt appear on certain airline websites but whether they operate as scheduled depends on real-time operational decisions.