On February 28, 2026, American and Israeli military strikes on Iran triggered an unprecedented regional conflagration. Within hours, eight airspaces closed — Iran, Israel, Iraq, Lebanon, Jordan, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait. Within 48 hours: 32,000 flights cancelled, tens of thousands of passengers stranded worldwide, and one burning question: who do you turn to, what can you demand, and how do you get your money back?
This comprehensive guide explains your actual rights, airline by airline and remedy by remedy, based on official sources and the latest case law. It incorporates the February 7, 2026 reform that makes mediation mandatory before any court action — a procedural revolution that many travellers are still unaware of.
The scale of the air travel crisis since February 28, 2026
The impact on global air traffic is unprecedented since the Covid-19 pandemic. According to L’Écho Touristique, 32,000 flights have been cancelled since February 28. Within just four days of conflict, around 19,000 flights had already been cut, leaving tens of thousands of passengers stranded at airports worldwide.
The cascade effect spread far beyond the region: many flights to Thailand, India and South-East Asia were disrupted or forced onto lengthy detours — sometimes 3 to 5 extra hours — by routing north (over Russia) or south (over East Africa). The drop in tourism to the region is estimated at −65% for summer 2026 bookings.
EC Regulation 261/2004: your legal shield
Adopted on February 11, 2004, EC Regulation No 261/2004 is the cornerstone of air passenger protection in the European Union. This regulation, directly applicable in all Member States — as well as Iceland, Norway and Switzerland — has been considerably strengthened by rulings from the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU).
Are you covered by EC 261/2004?
According to the European Consumer Centre, the regulation applies if:
- Your flight departs from an EU, EEA or Swiss airport (regardless of the airline);
- Your flight arrives in an EU country on a European carrier (even from a third country).
The ongoing European reform
In June 2025, EU transport ministers agreed on a political deal to revise EC 261/2004. The revision introduces thirty new passenger rights but also modifies compensation thresholds in a less favourable direction. As of today, the regulation remains fully applicable and you can assert your rights on the basis of current thresholds.
Force majeure vs extraordinary circumstances: the crucial distinction
This is the central legal crux of the crisis. When war or airspace closure occurs, airlines invariably invoke force majeure or extraordinary circumstances to escape their obligations. These two concepts have distinct effects on your rights.
| Criterion | Extraordinary circumstance | Force majeure |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | External event, unforeseeable, beyond the carrier’s control | Same + unavoidable even with all appropriate measures |
| Examples | Closed airspace, armed conflict, general strike | War, earthquake, government-ordered closure |
| Fixed-rate compensation | ❌ Excluded | ❌ Excluded |
| Ticket refund | ✅ Mandatory | ✅ Mandatory |
| Care obligations | ✅ Mandatory (meals, hotel, transfers) | ✅ Mandatory |
The burden of proof lies with the airline
It is up to the airline to prove concretely the extraordinary circumstance. It must demonstrate that the event:
- Was entirely beyond its control;
- Was unforeseeable at the time the ticket was booked;
- Could not have been avoided even with appropriate measures.
McDonagh v. Ryanair (CJEU): your case-law weapon
The CJEU established a fundamental principle in this ruling: even in extraordinary circumstances (including war), the care obligation remains fully intact. Article 9 of EC 261 imposes the provision of meals, hotel and transfers with no strict legal cap — as long as expenses are reasonable and necessary.
What you can obtain: refund, rerouting and care
Despite force majeure, your fundamental rights remain protected. Here is what the airline must offer you, without exception:
1. Full refund (within 7 days)
Once the cancellation is confirmed by the carrier, the airline must offer you:
- A full refund of your plane ticket within 7 days;
- Or, alternatively, rerouting to your destination by other means.
If the airline offers a voucher instead of a cash refund, you are entitled to refuse it. EC Regulation 261/2004 guarantees monetary reimbursement.
2. Care with no strict legal cap
If you are stranded at an airport (missed connection, cancelled return flight), the airline must provide:
- Meals and beverages proportionate to the waiting time;
- Hotel accommodation if one or more nights are required;
- Transfers between the airport and the hotel;
- Two free communications (phone, email, fax).
Keep ALL your receipts and submit them as part of your formal claim.
3. Enhanced protection for package holidays
If you booked a package holiday (flight + hotel or other service of more than 24 hours), protection is even more extensive. The travel agency or tour operator has a care obligation and must organise your repatriation at no extra cost, even if the return ticket is more expensive than expected. Hotel and meals are covered for the first 3 nights if return is impossible.
Fixed-rate compensation: excluded in wartime
This is the most painful point for travellers. In cases of force majeure, there is no fixed-rate compensation, even if the airline handles the situation poorly.
— €250 for flights under 1,500 km
— €400 for flights between 1,500 and 3,500 km
— €600 for flights over 3,500 km
These fixed amounts under EC 261/2004 do not apply when the cancellation is caused by war or airspace closure.
The golden rule: never cancel yourself
This is the most serious mistake you can make. If you take the initiative of cancelling your ticket before the airline officially does so, you will be subject to the standard fare conditions and risk losing all entitlement to a legal refund. Always wait for the airline’s official cancellation.
If your flight is shown as « on time » but you do not wish to travel due to the geopolitical context, you have in principle no automatic right to a refund — this depends entirely on your ticket’s fare conditions.
Airline by airline: current refund policies
Faced with the crisis, major airlines deployed commercial flexibility policies — in addition to their legal obligations:
✈️ Emirates
Fee-free modification for flights up to March 12, 2026, with free rebooking until March 27, 2026. Reprotection on partner airlines available. Emirates operated repatriation flights between March 5 and 7, 2026.
✈️ Etihad
Passengers with tickets booked before February 28, 2026 (travel until March 10): free rebooking on all Etihad flights until March 31, 2026, or full refund.
✈️ Qatar Airways
Total suspension of operations following closure of Qatari airspace. Rebooking within ±14 days of original flight or refund of unused portions (use code INVOL – REF COMMQ157 in your request).
✈️ Turkish Airlines
Suspension of all flights to Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan until March 6 inclusive. Refund or flight change offered to all affected passengers.
✈️ Air France
Cancellation of around fifteen long-haul flights (Dubai, Tel Aviv, Beirut). Extended suspension until March 5 for Tel Aviv, Beirut, Dubai and Riyadh. Passengers can choose between voucher or refund.
Travel insurance in conflict zones: the truth about your policies
This is the area that generates the most disappointment. Since the strikes of February 28, 2026, thousands of travellers have discovered a brutal reality: their travel insurance may be useless in a conflict zone.
The war exclusion: a near-universal principle
Most standard policies contain an explicit clause: « excluded from cover are damages directly or indirectly resulting from civil or foreign war, insurrection or political unrest. »
When insurance can intervene
Some premium policies will cover cancellation if:
- The destination is rated « advised against unless essential » or « strongly advised against » by your country’s foreign ministry;
- That alert was published after the booking date;
- You file the claim within 5 to 10 days.
What was granted exceptionally
Some insurers showed flexibility: extended assistance cover for stranded travellers until their return. Some SOS policies cover war events for 14 days if the client was already on site when hostilities broke out.
The February 7, 2026 revolution: mandatory mediation before any court action
This is the most significant procedural change of the year — and it came into force exactly at the time of the Iranian crisis. From February 7, 2026, Decree No 2025-772 makes mediation mandatory before any legal proceedings.
Written complaint to the airline
By email with acknowledgement of receipt or by registered letter. Keep proof of this submission — it will be essential for subsequent steps.
Wait 60 days
This is the legal deadline the airline has to respond. If refused or no response, you can proceed to the next step.
Contact the Médiateur Tourisme et Voyage (MTV)
Via mtv.travel — entirely free for the passenger (airlines pay ~€150 per case). Over 90% of cases reach an amicable agreement within 90 days.
Last resort: court action
Only if mediation has failed. Requires summons via court officer (€150–250). Expect 6 to 12 months minimum. Without proof of prior mediation, the judge will automatically reject your claim, regardless of its legal merits.
Civil aviation authority and AirHelp: your two other remedies
The civil aviation authority: the regulator that watches but doesn’t refund
You can report your dispute to your national civil aviation authority if the airline refuses to honour its obligations. Your report contributes to regulatory enforcement: proven breaches can result in administrative fines against non-compliant airlines.
AirHelp: calling in a specialist
Due to the Middle East conflict, thousands of passengers are unaware of their actual rights. AirHelp reminds passengers that EC 261 continues to protect travellers for refunds, rerouting and care, even in « extraordinary circumstances ».
AirHelp operates wherever EC 261 applies — notably on flights departing the EU/EEA or arriving in the EU on European carriers. You have up to 3 to 6 years (depending on your country) to file a claim.
Case law and abuse: the Volotea affair, or how to challenge force majeure
A revealing scandal emerged during the crisis. On March 21, 2026, it came to light that Volotea was cancelling domestic French flights citing the Middle East war. Routes like Brest-Marseille, Lille-Ajaccio and La Rochelle-Bastia were cancelled with the same justification.
Leading case: Laval Tribunal (2026)
The court found a breach of contractual obligations by an airline that had cancelled a flight without an alternative solution, invoking force majeure without being able to justify it. The airline was held liable, and claimants were awarded:
- €250 fixed-rate compensation per passenger;
- Reimbursement of hotel and meal expenses;
- Total: €1,306.48 awarded to claimants.
Your complete checklist for a cancelled flight to the Middle East
Always wait for the airline’s official cancellation — otherwise you lose all statutory refund rights.
Hotel, meals, transport, cancellation notifications — in real time, immediately.
By email with acknowledgement or registered letter. Explicitly request a cash refund (not a voucher) and quote code INVOL.
Mandatory legal deadline before any mediation.
Free mediation, mandatory since February 7, 2026. Must be initiated within one year of your initial complaint.
In parallel with mediation — for proven breaches. Contributes to collective sanctions against non-compliant airlines.
No upfront fees, payment only on success. Prescription period: 3 to 6 years depending on country.
Practical information for your trip
Comprehensive coverage to travel with peace of mind, even in an uncertain geopolitical context.
From €0.99/dayStay connected from the airport, even when travel plans change unexpectedly. Instant activation, no physical SIM.
From €4.50FAQ — Your questions about cancelled flights and force majeure
My flight is still operating but I don’t want to travel due to the war — am I entitled to a refund?
No, not automatically. If your flight is still being operated by the airline, your refund entitlement depends solely on your ticket’s fare conditions. If your ticket is non-refundable, you cannot demand a legal refund. It is best to contact the airline in writing to request a goodwill gesture or check whether exceptional flexibility measures have been put in place.
I was stranded in Dubai for several days — must the airline pay for my hotel?
Yes, without a strict legal cap. Even in recognised extraordinary circumstances, the airline retains a care obligation under Article 9 of EC Regulation 261/2004. It must cover meals, accommodation and transfers between the airport and hotel. Keep all your receipts and include them in your formal claim. If the airline refuses, contact the MTV mediator.
Can I get the €250, €400 or €600 fixed compensation under EC 261/2004?
No, not when the cause is war or a directly related airspace closure. These fixed amounts (€250, €400, €600 depending on flight distance) only apply when the cancellation is caused by the airline itself (technical issue, staffing problem, etc.). In proven force majeure cases, only the ticket refund and care obligations apply.
The airline offered me a voucher — do I have to accept it?
No. You have the right to refuse a voucher and demand a cash refund within 7 days. EC Regulation 261/2004 is clear: in the event of a cancellation by the airline, the passenger can choose between monetary reimbursement or rerouting. A voucher is only legally acceptable if you voluntarily agree to it.
How does the mandatory mediation process introduced in 2026 work?
Since February 7, 2026, any court action against an airline must be preceded by a mandatory mediation attempt. The procedure is: 1) Written complaint to the airline; 2) Wait 60 days; 3) If refused or no response, contact the Médiateur Tourisme et Voyage (MTV) at mtv.travel — entirely free for you; 4) The mediator has 90 days to issue an opinion. Over 90% of cases reach an agreement. Without this prior step, a court will automatically dismiss your claim.
I booked the hotel separately from the flight — must the airline also refund it?
No, not automatically. When services are purchased separately, cancellation of the flight does not automatically entitle you to cancel the hotel. Check the hotel’s terms and conditions for a possible fee-free cancellation. However, if you booked a package holiday (flight + hotel together), protection is much more extensive: the package organiser is responsible for your repatriation.
Will a state-organised repatriation flight be refunded by my airline?
No. A state-organised repatriation flight (such as a consular flight) is not considered rerouting by the airline. The contribution you paid for this repatriation flight is not borne by the carrier that cancelled your original flight. However, your airline must still refund the price of your original unused ticket.
How long do I have to claim my refund or compensation?
The time limit varies by country — typically 2 to 6 years depending on jurisdiction. However, the MTV mediation must be initiated within one year of your original complaint to the airline. The longer you wait, the harder it is to gather evidence (receipts, cancellation confirmations, correspondence). Act as soon as possible.
Sources and references
- CNews — Iran war: hotel, refund… your rights if your flight is cancelled (March 2026)
- UFC-Que Choisir Rhône — Middle East war and air transport: your rights (March 2026)
- Air Journal — Middle East: what the war changes – and doesn’t change – for passenger rights (March 2026)
- L’Écho Touristique — Commercial measures from airlines (March 2026)
- DGCCRF — Middle East crisis: your rights if your trip is cancelled (2026)
- BaaGe — Legislative changes for cancelled/delayed flights: all you need to know for 2026
- DGAC — Air passenger rights (official)
- AirHelp — Flight refund: your rights and steps (2026)
- LegalPlanet — Flight cancellation compensation: Laval Tribunal case law (2026)
- Reassurez-moi — Iran war: what recourse for travellers? (2026)
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