Emirates flight EK310 arrives at Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China, March 8, 2026. (Photo: VCG)

A large number of flights in and out of the Middle East have been canceled, affecting more than 6 million passenger trips since the United States and Israel launched military operations against Iran, according to data from aviation analytics firm Cirium.

Citing Cirium data, Belgian media reported on Saturday that more than 52,000 flights were canceled out of over 98,000 scheduled flights in and out of the Middle East between February 28 and March 13, affecting more than 6 million passenger trips.

The data show that the flight cancellation rate in the region peaked at more than 65% between March 1 and 3, and remained high at 46.5% as of March 12.

Some industry experts say that even if the parties to the conflict announce an immediate ceasefire, normal aviation operations are unlikely to resume quickly. Airlines will need time to redeploy aircraft and crews, rebuild flight schedules and obtain the necessary safety clearances.