I'm flying to Dubai and I'm worried about the situation, but the flight isn't cancelled. Can I get my money back?

If you have a non-refundable ticket and the airline is still operating the flight, no — you can't claim a refund. It's different if the airline cancels the flight itself: in that case, you're entitled to a full refund.

The airline offered a replacement flight, but it's 3 days away. Can I buy a ticket on another carrier and claim the difference?

This is a grey area. If airline A is full and airline B (a competitor) is flying sooner, the airline should rebook you. Carriers rarely do this. If you buy the ticket yourself, recovering the cost is harder than waiting for the airline's replacement.

Do I have to accept a voucher instead of a cash refund?

No. If the airline cancels the flight, you're entitled to 100 % of the ticket price refunded to your account. A voucher (credit for future flights) is optional. If you want cash, insist on a refund.

Flight cancelled because of the Middle East situation: when the airline doesn't have to pay, and when it does

Why won’t the airline pay you €600 compensation?

Airspace closure, escalation of a military conflict or missile strikes fall under “extraordinary circumstances” as defined by EU Regulation 261/2004. The airline didn’t cause this situation and isn’t allowed to fly through, for safety reasons.

In that case, the obligation to pay statutory compensation (€250–€600) is removed. If the airport staff tell you compensation isn’t payable, this time — unlike with most excuses — they’re right.

But that does nothing to remove the other rights the EU rules give passengers.

Right to a refund or a replacement flight

If the airline cancels the flight (including for war-related reasons), you have two options.

Option one: 100 % refund

You’re entitled to a full refund to the account you paid from. The airline must refund you within 7 days.

Watch out for the voucher trick: airlines will push you towards credit for future flights. You don’t have to accept it. If you want cash, insist on it.

Option two: replacement flight

If you still want, or have to, reach the destination, the airline must arrange a replacement flight “under comparable conditions at the earliest opportunity” or “at a later date of your choosing”.

Right to care: hotel, food and transfer

Even though the airline doesn’t owe compensation, it still has to look after you.

If you’re waiting for a replacement flight, you’re entitled to:

Accommodation for the duration of the wait
Food and drink at reasonable quantities
Transfer between airport and hotel

If the airline doesn’t arrange accommodation, find a hotel yourself, keep every receipt (hotel, taxi, food), and claim the cost back when you return.

This right applies always, regardless of the reason for cancellation.

Flights to Asia: cancelled connections

Closed airspace means some connecting flights can’t take off, or aircraft have to fly around the area with forced stopovers.

In this situation, too, you won’t have a right to financial compensation of €250–€600. The airline still has to look after you — reimbursement of accommodation, food and transfer during the wait.

Will travel insurance help?

Most standard travel insurance has an exclusion for “war, terrorism, unrest”. Costs caused by a flight cancellation due to military conflict are typically not covered.

Exception: trip-cancellation insurance

Specific trip-cancellation insurance (for the package or the ticket) can help if:

You bought the ticket and the insurance at a time when the country in question was calm
The foreign ministry’s “do not travel” advisory was issued only after you’d already paid for everything

In that case, insurers usually accept the cancellation. Contact your insurer.

Package-holiday flights

If you’re flying as part of a package holiday through a tour operator, you have extra protection under package-travel law.

Before you leave (cancellation before the trip): if extraordinary circumstances arise at the destination, you can cancel the trip without cancellation fees. The tour operator must refund everything within 14 days. No further compensation applies.

Stranded at destination (the 3-day rule): if your flight home is cancelled due to closed airspace, the tour operator covers accommodation costs for up to 3 nights per person. After three days, the operator’s statutory duty ends and further costs are usually on you.

Step by step

Don’t cancel anything yourself: if you cancel the ticket, you lose the money. Wait for the airline to cancel.
Keep receipts: food, hotel, taxi — archive everything for later reimbursement.
Refuse vouchers: if you want a cash refund, insist on it. You don’t have to accept a voucher.