RE: Travel Disruption due to regional airport closures in the Middle East

Latest information and guidance for affected travellers

2nd March 2026

Dear Valued Customer,

We are writing to advise you that we are aware that you, and a number of other Cassidy Travel Customers, are, have been and will be impacted by the situation which has occurred in the Middle East and the ongoing travel disruption this is causing due to the regional airport closures. We are sure that you will appreciate that the situation is extremely fluid and is likely to change on an hourly/daily basis.

We are continuing to monitor the situation closely with all of the major airlines, particularly the three major airlines that operate these routes, which are Qatar, Emirates and Etihad. We are also in communication with all airlines affected and also with our suppliers and will continue to update our website and provide information as soon as this is to hand.

The health and safety of our customers is paramount, and we will do our utmost to ensure we provide assistance and information during this difficult time, however, as your travel agent, we do have to rely upon those suppliers and airlines to provide assistance and we are working closely with these parties and also relying on advices provided by the DFA.

We are sincerely sorry that your holiday coincided with the unexpected situation which has evolved in the Middle East and the subsequent flight restrictions and cancellations. We certainly appreciate the upset and frustration experienced by our many customers who were unfortunately unable to return home on their scheduled flight. Whilst we accept that our customers have been severely discommoded, we do hope that you will understand that this situation was totally unforeseen and completely outside of our control and the control of the airlines affected. This event is classified as an Act of God, and force majeure and is clearly outlined in our terms and conditions of booking and although not the fault of the airlines impacted, they do have a duty of care to all of their passengers and will work closely with the authorities on the ground and also with Cassidy Travel to ensure all of our customers are repatriated as soon as this is possible.

We would ask that you keep in close contact with those authorities on the ground and your airline for updates and follow their instructions given they are responsible for flight operations and not Cassidy Travel. We would also urge you to register with the local embassy and to monitor updates provided by the DFA as the Department of Foreign Affairs is aware there are many Irish citizens stranded and impacted at present.

All of our staff are handling large volume of calls and files at present, and we are prioritizing those Customers trying to return home.

For those customers due to travel in the next days/weeks etc., we will contact you to advise what your options are once we are in a position to do so and have received confirmation from the airlines and our suppliers.

We would strongly urge all customers to review their travel insurance policy to determine whether or not this situation is covered under their terms and conditions.

Finally, we would like to thank you for your patience and understanding and for bearing with us during this difficult time. We promise to do our utmost to provide you with our best attention at all times.

Yours sincerely,

The Cassidy Travel Team