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Thousands Stranded After Middle East Flights Canceled

Apeksha Bhateja Apeksha Bhateja |
Courtesy of Emirates

And other news you may have missed.

This week in travel, we have several stories that may have flown under your radar. Among them: Thousands of flights were canceled on Monday due to the U.S.-Israel-led war on Iran; five German tourists who tried to build a floating sauna on an ice floe were stranded in Sweden; and a stowaway previously convicted of unlawfully boarding a plane did it again last week.

Dive into these and more as we examine the latest in travel news.

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Thousands Stranded After Middle East Flights Canceled

On Saturday, the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran. Within days, the entire region was pushed into conflict. Iran retaliated with attacks on U.S. bases across the region as well as Israel. It also targeted Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Kuwait. Casualties are being reported, oil prices have surged, and airspace over the Middle East has closed. Due to the conflict, thousands of flights have been canceled, stranding travelers as airport operations halt.

Dubai, Doha, and Abu Dhabi are major flight hubs where many international flights transit. After the war began, flights around the world were delayed or canceled. Flight trackers showed skies over the region devoid of planes. On Monday, the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Jordan, Iran, Iraq, and Syria reported air closures. Few flights have departed from Dubai and Abu Dhabi, but the region remains in turmoil.

Travelers are being advised to avoid the region and expect disruptions, even if they’re not headed to the Middle East. Airlines now need to avoid closed airspace, meaning rerouted flights and longer travel times.

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German Tourists Rescued From Makeshift Sauna on Ice Floe

In a bizarre incident, five tourists were rescued from an ice sheet after they tried to build a floating sauna in Sweden. The German tourists made a vessel out of an ice floe and carried a sauna tent, a motor, and a saw. However, their attempts were cut short after a swell from a ferry broke the ice and stranded them in the icy water near Värmdö. The ferry’s crew saved four of them from their makeshift boat, while the fifth passenger packed up their equipment—including a GoPro, a standup paddleboard, their motorized saw, and the sauna. The last one was also rescued as ferry passengers watched in amusement.

A witness shared with the local broadcaster SVT, “The boat drove carefully through the ice, but it was broken up by the waves and the ice floe drifted away. So the crew went out and started picking them from the ice floe, because the ice floe was breaking up more and more.”

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Man Who Sold Fake Plane Parts Is Jailed

A U.K. man who admitted to supplying counterfeit plane parts to airlines between 2019 and 2023 has been jailed. Jose Alejandro Zamora Yrala was sentenced to four years and eight months for the £7 million ($9.37 million) fraud that grounded planes worldwide. He also faces further criminal charges.

Zamora Yrala ran a U.K.-based company called AOG Technics and sold 60,000 fake plane parts that were used by airlines as well as parts suppliers. He worked from his garage, falsified documents about the condition and origin of the parts, and even invented employees. The parts he sold were used in CFM56 engines, which are fitted in Boeing 737 and Airbus A320 aircraft, both widely used passenger planes.

He was caught in 2023 after a Portuguese airline discovered that a bolt bought from the company did not fit its airplane’s engine. Further investigation uncovered his scam. Ryanair, American Airlines, and TAP Air planes were grounded, causing a loss of £39.3 million ($52.5 million).

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ChatGPT Now Features Skyscanner App

For travelers increasingly using AI to plan trips, there’s another feature on ChatGPT to try. Flight comparison website Skyscanner has partnered with ChatGPT to provide real-time flight results. Travelers in the U.K. and the U.S. can install the app and use prompts to find flights. You can search for flights, hotels, and activities on ChatGPT—the AI tool also features Booking.com, TripAdvisor, Viator, and Cruise Critic, among other apps.

Travelers should remember that AI can’t be trusted blindly. You need to verify all information and do not share any personal details such as Social Security numbers, credit card numbers, or medical records.

Related: 6 Ways AI Can Ruin Your Vacation (and How to Avoid It)

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Stowaway Sneaks Onto a Plane to Europe Again

In 2024, a stowaway breached security to board a flight to Paris from New York’s JFK airport. Last week, she did it again. This time, Svetlana Dali sneaked onto a United flight to Milan from Newark.

On Wednesday, she bypassed security once again and boarded the flight without a ticket. The crew discovered she didn’t have a ticket while mid-flight, and Dali was arrested after the plane landed in Milan.

Related: How Did a Passenger Fly to Paris From New York WITHOUT a Ticket?

Dali has tried to evade authorities multiple times. She attempted to board two flights illegally before the Paris incident, and after being caught in 2024, she tried to flee to Canada by bus. She spent seven months in custody for the Paris stowaway incident.