Explosions heard in Dubai – fire at luxury hotel on “The Palm”

At one Luxury hotel on the artificial island of Palm Jumaira broke in Feuer out of. Videos from eyewitnesses showed a fire at the entrance to the hotel, which is known for its waterfront location. Clouds of black smoke rose above the building. It was unclear whether a suspected Iranian missile hit the hotel or whether debris fell after a missile was fired and caused a fire. Civil defense said the fire was under control. Four people were injured.

The Emirati Defense Ministry said air defenses had intercepted a new wave of Iranian missiles and drones. There was “no significant damage.” Several pieces of debris from intercepted missiles fell in Dubai and the capital Abu Dhabi. At least one person has died so far.

Escalation hits air traffic hard

The escalation in the Iran conflict also took place on Saturday international air traffic was hit massively. Many airlines stopped their connections to the region. Is particularly affected Dubai is also one of the world’s most important hubs for traffic between Europe and Asia. All Flights at Dubai International Airport and at the smaller Al Maktoum Airport suspended until further notice. Passengers were asked not to come to the airport.

The closure of the megahubs in the Gulf, with their recent handling of around 100 million annually, is blocking the busiest transit point between East and West. “Crews, planes and passengers are stranded around the world,” said a Gulf airline insider. “It’s a massive logistical nightmare.” Flight radar maps online showed virtually empty airspace over Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Israel and Bahrain.

The effects of the escalation were also felt in Europe. The Lufthansa suspended its flights to and from Dubai for Saturday and Sunday. Services to Tel Aviv, Beirut and Oman were temporarily stopped until March 7. British Airways, Air France-KLM and Hungary’s Wizz Air also canceled flights. Europe’s aviation safety authority EASA recommended airlines avoid the affected area. Asian airlines such as Cathay Pacific also suspended operations in the region.

According to data from the analysis house Cirium on Saturday Around 24 percent of all flights to the Middle East were canceled. “Passengers and airlines must expect that the airspace in the region will remain closed for quite some time,” said Eric Schouten, head of security consultant Dyami.

The region has become even more important for international air traffic since the start of the Russian attack on Ukraine, as airlines already have to avoid Russian and Ukrainian airspace. With the wide-area diversions, the airlines want to prevent accidental or intentional shooting down of aircraft. This also leads to longer flight times and higher fuel consumption.