Dutch travelers stranded in Thailand amid Middle East airspace closures

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is advising travelers stuck in Thailand amid the Middle East crisis to reach out to their airline, travel insurance provider, or travel agent for guidance. According to the ministry’s information service, the embassy is unable to help with rebooking flights.

Numerous flights from Thailand to the Netherlands have been canceled due to stopovers in the Middle East. Travelers facing imminent visa expiration in Thailand can request a document from the embassy to support their visa extension application, the ministry’s information service said. However, the ministry does not guarantee approval, noting that the Thai Immigration Department has full authority over whether the visa is extended.

Thailand’s Ministry of Tourism and Sports has set up an emergency fund to assist stranded tourists. Travelers can receive up to 2,000 baht per day (about 55 euros) for unexpected costs, capped at 20,000 baht per person.

A KLM flight carrying travelers stranded due to the war in the Middle East landed at Schiphol Airport on Wednesday morning at around 8 a.m. with passengers who had been stuck in the region because of limited flight options. Many flights via the Gulf were canceled after the recent escalation involving Iran, disrupting routes and leaving numerous Dutch travelers unable to leave the area.

This flight, which departed from Muscat in Oman, brought back around 91 Dutch nationals among its approximately 250 passengers. Authorities estimate that thousands of Dutch travelers remain stranded across the Middle East due to the ongoing conflict.

An extra flight from Muscat to Schiphol via Cairo has been arranged by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and KLM for Friday, March 6, 2026. Anyone wishing to take these flights must register through the Crisis Contact Form on NederlandWereldwijd.nl. Only travelers with a confirmed reservation will be permitted to board at the airport.

KLM has suspended all regular scheduled flights to Dubai, Riyadh, and Dammam and has avoided using the airspace over Iran, Iraq, Israel, and parts of the Gulf because of the ongoing conflict and airspace closures. These suspensions are currently in place until at least March 8, 2026.