🚨 Australia & New Zealand Flight Update March 25, 2026 Day 25: Lufthansa Group SHOCK Extension to MAY 31 (Was March 28), EASA Expires TOMORROW Friday, Qatar Airways 3-DAY FINAL COUNTDOWN to March 28, Air New Zealand Waiver Ends March 31, Qantas Waiver 6 Days, Philippine Airlines Manila–Doha/Dubai Suspended to April 30, Virgin Atlantic Dubai Winter Suspended — Complete Carrier Status March 25

BREAKING — Day 25, Wednesday March 25: The most shocking airline announcement of the past week landed overnight — and it directly affects millions of Australian, New Zealand and European passengers who had been counting down to a Lufthansa Group restoration this Saturday.

Lufthansa Group — which includes Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, ITA Airways, Edelweiss, and Lufthansa Cargo — has suspended all flights to and from Dubai and Tel Aviv until 31 May.

Read that again: until May 31. The previous Lufthansa Group Dubai end date was March 28 — this Saturday. In a single overnight announcement, Lufthansa Group has added 64 days to its Dubai suspension. Passengers who had rebooking plans involving Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian, Brussels Airlines, ITA or Edelweiss connections through Dubai between March 28 and May 31 must now replan entirely.

The Lufthansa May 31 extension is the single largest single-airline suspension extension announced since the crisis began. It extends further than British Airways’ DXB suspension (also May 31), making Lufthansa Group and British Airways now jointly the carriers with the longest Dubai suspension in the market.

But the same Euronews report brings important context: Emirates is aiming to be back at 100% capacity in the coming days. Qatar Airways is currently operating a revised limited schedule until 28 March for flights to and from Hamad International Airport, reconnecting the Qatari capital with more than 70 destinations across Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, the Middle East and the Pacific.

Three days from today — Saturday March 28 — Qatar’s full network restarts. And tomorrow — Friday March 27 — EASA’s aviation safety advisory expires. The end of Australia and New Zealand’s 25-day Gulf connection crisis is genuinely within sight. But the Lufthansa shock is a reminder: not every carrier is recovering on the same timeline.

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Published: March 25, 2026 (Wednesday — Middle East Crisis Day 25)
Lufthansa Group DXB/TLV: ❌ SHOCK extension to May 31 — was March 28 ← 64-day extension
Lufthansa Group carriers affected: LH / LX (SWISS) / OS (Austrian) / SN (Brussels) / ITA / EW (Edelweiss) / Cargo
EASA CZIB 2026-03: Expires TOMORROW Friday March 27 — 1 day away ⏰
Qatar Airways March 28: 3 DAYS — 70+ destinations limited schedule → full network Saturday ⏰
BNE/ADL/AKL: 25 consecutive days of 100% Qatar cancellations — ends Saturday March 28
Virgin Australia code-shares: Resume Saturday March 28 ✅
Emirates: Targeting 100% of 140-destination network “in the coming days” ✅
Air New Zealand waiver: Covers Middle East bookings to March 31 ← 6 days ⚠️
Qantas waiver: 6 days left — expires March 31 ⚠️
Philippine Airlines MNL–DOH/DXB: ❌ Suspended to April 30 ← NEW
Virgin Atlantic Dubai winter: ❌ Suspended for remainder of winter season
KLM Dubai: Now May 17 (updated from March 28) ← also extended
British Airways DXB/BAH/AMM/TLV: ❌ May 31 (unchanged — still the longest alongside LH)
British Airways DOH: ❌ April 30
Oman Air (10 destinations): ❌ Still to March 31 — 6 days
Cathay Pacific DXB/RUH: ❌ Still to April 30
Emirates BNE/ADL: ❌ Still suspended in March 29–April 30 filing
Conflict status: 5-day ceasefire (began March 23) — expires approximately March 28
Qatar recovery timeline: Saturday March 28 confirmed subject to EASA expiry tomorrow

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🚨 The Lufthansa Group Shock — What Just Changed

Yesterday morning, Lufthansa Group passengers were counting down to Saturday March 28 — the confirmed date on every previous Lufthansa Group suspension announcement — when SWISS flights to DXB would resume, when Austrian Airlines would restore Vienna–Dubai, when Brussels Airlines would reopen its Gulf connections.

Overnight, that plan was shattered.

Lufthansa Group — which includes Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, ITA Airways, Edelweiss, and Lufthansa Cargo — has suspended all flights to and from Dubai and Tel Aviv until 31 May.

Why has Lufthansa Group extended to May 31 when the ceasefire is active and EASA expires tomorrow?

The answer lies in the specific language Lufthansa uses: “ongoing security risks and restricted airspace.” While the 5-day ceasefire has paused US military strikes, the underlying conflict has not ended. Lufthansa Group’s operations and insurance teams apply a more conservative risk threshold than some other carriers. The ceasefire expires around March 28 — the same day Lufthansa’s extension now starts. If hostilities resume on March 28 as the ceasefire window closes, Lufthansa would immediately face the same liability exposure that triggered the original suspension.

Lufthansa’s calculation: Better to announce May 31 now and restore earlier if conditions improve, than to announce March 28, get caught in a post-ceasefire resumption of hostilities, and face another suspension within 72 hours of restarting.

What this means for passengers with Lufthansa Group Dubai bookings:

✈️ All LH/LX/OS/SN/ITA/EW flights to/from DXB cancelled through May 31
✈️ All LH/LX/OS/SN/ITA/EW flights to/from TLV cancelled through May 31
✈️ Lufthansa Group’s previous March 28 confirmation is no longer valid
✈️ If you rebooked into April under the Lufthansa waiver with a DXB connection: your rebooked flight is now also cancelled — contact Lufthansa for a further rebook or refund

What does this mean for Australian passengers specifically?

For Australian passengers who were using Lufthansa Group connections — flying SYD/MEL to FRA/ZRH/VIE/BRU then connecting to DXB for onward Gulf travel — the May 31 extension means no Lufthansa Group Dubai connection until June. Alternative Gulf connections available:
✈️ Emirates DXB (SYD/MEL/PER operating, A380 at PER from March 29)
✈️ Qatar Airways DOH (full restart Saturday March 28)
✈️ Etihad AUH (limited schedule, expanding through April)
✈️ Singapore Airlines via SIN as Europe bypass (never disrupted)

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Also Extended Overnight: KLM Dubai to May 17, Philippine Airlines to April 30, Virgin Atlantic Winter Suspended

The Lufthansa shock is the headline — but three other carrier updates from the same Euronews bulletin overnight add to the picture:

KLM Dubai: now May 17 (was March 28)

Dutch airline KLM is currently not flying through the airspace of Iran, Iraq, and Israel, or over several countries in the Gulf region. KLM’s Dubai suspension has been extended from March 28 to May 17 — a 50-day extension. KLM had been one of the carriers Australian passengers expected to restore European connectivity via Amsterdam–Dubai connections this Saturday. That plan is now pushed to mid-May.

Philippine Airlines: Manila–Doha and Manila–Dubai suspended to April 30

Philippine Airlines has announced the temporary suspension of its flights between Manila and selected Middle East destinations — Doha and Dubai — until 30 April. An additional Doha-Manila flight scheduled for 1 May has also been cancelled. For Australian passengers routing via Manila to the Philippines (a popular Australia–Philippines routing via Dubai or Doha), the April 30 extension means no PAL Gulf connection until May at earliest.

Virgin Atlantic Dubai winter service: suspended for remainder of winter

Virgin Atlantic’s seasonal Dubai service is now suspended for the remainder of the winter. Virgin Atlantic operates a seasonal DXB service that is part of its wider Gulf network. The winter-season suspension means no Virgin Atlantic Dubai until at least October/November when the next winter season begins — effectively ending Virgin Atlantic’s DXB operations for the entirety of 2026.

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EASA Expires TOMORROW — What Happens Friday March 27

Tomorrow — Friday March 27 — is the single most important day in the Middle East aviation recovery for Australian and New Zealand passengers.

The EASA Conflict Zone Information Bulletin (CZIB 2026-03) expires at the end of Friday March 27. When it expires:

📋 Friday March 27 EOD: EASA advisory expires → war-risk insurance reinstated for Gulf routes
📋 Saturday March 28: Qatar Airways full restart from Doha FIR — BNE/ADL/AKL services restore
📋 Saturday March 28: Virgin Australia code-shares through Qatar resume
📋 Saturday March 28: Gulf Air Bahrain restart (from Dammam to Bahrain hub)
📋 Saturday March 28: Finnair Doha + Dubai restarts
📋 Saturday March 28 and beyond: Emirates targeting 100% 140-destination network

The one risk: If the conflict produces a significant new incident today or tomorrow (Thursday/Friday) before the advisory naturally expires, EASA could issue a further extension. Monitor easa.europa.eu Thursday and Friday for any new CZIB publication.

With the 5-day ceasefire running until approximately March 28, no new strikes are expected in this window — making the EASA expiry tomorrow the most likely outcome.

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Qatar March 28 — The 3-Day Final Countdown

Saturday March 28 is now 3 days away. After 25 consecutive days of 100% cancellations, Brisbane, Adelaide and Auckland are about to see the return of their primary Gulf connection.

Qatar Airways will operate a revised limited number of flights from 18 March to 28 March 2026. Qatar Airways will resume operations once the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority announces the safe full reopening of Qatari airspace.

The current 70-destination limited schedule (March 18–28) transitions to Qatar’s full network from March 28 as Qatari airspace officially reopens. The “limited schedule” has been operating for the past week — building familiarity and operational readiness for the full restart.

Per-airport countdown:

Action for BNE/ADL/AKL passengers this week:
✅ Call Qatar Australia: 1300 340 600 — confirm your route’s March 28–29 first available seat
✅ Check qatarairways.com for updated schedule inventory being released this week
✅ Book early — 25 days of displaced demand will compete for the first Saturday flights

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Air New Zealand Waiver — Expires March 31, 6 Days

Air New Zealand has travel options available for Middle East affected bookings for travel up to and including Tuesday 31 March. This includes domestic services within New Zealand that connect to or from partner airline services, provided your ticket was issued by Air New Zealand.

The Air New Zealand waiver covers:
✅ Bookings issued by Air New Zealand for travel to/from DXB, AUH, DOH via partner carriers
✅ New Zealand domestic connections to/from partner services
✅ Travel dates up to and including March 31, 2026
✅ Options: rebooking or refund

Act before March 31 — 6 days from today. Call Air New Zealand: 0800 737 000 (NZ) or use the Air NZ app.

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Qantas Waiver — 6 Days Left, Expires March 31

The Qantas Middle East waiver closes in 6 days alongside the Air New Zealand waiver.

✅ Who: Tickets booked on or before March 6, 2026, for travel February 28 – March 31, 2026
✅ Options: Fee-free refund, fee-free flight credit, or fee-free date change to travel by April 30
✅ How: 13 13 13 or the Qantas app → Manage Booking
✅ Note: With Qatar restarting Saturday and Emirates near full capacity, if you want to rebook into April or May rather than refund — this is a good week to do it

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Complete Updated Carrier Status Table — March 25, 2026

✅ Operating / Rebuilding

❌ Still Suspended — Updated End Dates

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5-Step Checklist for Australian and New Zealand Travellers Today

✅ Step 1 — BNE/ADL/AKL passengers: Saturday is 3 days away. Call Qatar on 1300 340 600 today to lock in your specific March 29 first-available seat. Seat availability on the first post-restart services will be tight as 25 days of displaced demand rushes back.

✅ Step 2 — Lufthansa Group DXB passengers: replan now. The March 28 restart you were counting on is cancelled — no Lufthansa/SWISS/Austrian/Brussels/ITA/Edelweiss Dubai until May 31. Use Emirates (SYD/MEL/PER operating), Qatar (from March 28) or Etihad as alternatives. Contact your Lufthansa Group carrier for a refund or further rebook.

✅ Step 3 — KLM Dubai passengers: now May 17 (was March 28). Same situation as Lufthansa. KLM’s Amsterdam–Dubai connection is unavailable until mid-May. Reroute via Emirates, Qatar or Etihad from your Australian departure city.

✅ Step 4 — Air New Zealand and Qantas waivers: 6 days left each. Both expire March 31. Act this week — do not leave until the Qatar restart weekend when lines will be overwhelmed. Call Air NZ on 0800 737 000 or Qantas on 13 13 13.

✅ Step 5 — Watch EASA TOMORROW (Friday March 27). If EASA allows its advisory to expire, Qatar March 28 proceeds with certainty. Monitor easa.europa.eu for any new CZIB bulletin published before close of business Friday.

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For More Resources:

• Qatar Airways Travel Alerts (March 28 countdown): https://www.qatarairways.com/en/travel-alerts.html
• Lufthansa Group Updated Suspension (to May 31): https://www.lufthansa.com/gb/en/help-and-contact
• SWISS Updated Suspension: https://www.swiss.com/gb/en/fly/travel-information/travel-updates
• Air New Zealand Waiver (to March 31): https://www.airnewzealand.co.nz/travel-alerts
• Qantas Middle East Waiver (expires March 31): https://www.qantas.com/au/en/travel-info/travel-updates.html
• Emirates Current Schedule (near 100%): https://www.emirates.com/au/english/help/travel-updates/
• EASA CZIB Bulletins (watch Friday): https://www.easa.europa.eu/en/domains/aviation-safety-management/conflict-zone-information-bulletins
• KLM Updated Suspension: https://www.klm.com/en/information/travel-advice
• Virgin Australia Flight Status: https://www.virginaustralia.com/au/en/travel-information/flight-status/
• DFAT Smartraveller: https://www.smartraveller.gov.au

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Related Articles:

• 🚨 Australia & New Zealand Flight Update March 24, 2026 Day 24: 5-Day US Ceasefire Changes Everything — Qatar March 28 Near-Certain, Brent Crude Drops 11%, Emirates Waiver to May 31
• 🚨 Australia & New Zealand Flight Update March 23, 2026 Day 23: Emirates Keeps Brisbane and Adelaide SUSPENDED to April 30, Perth Welcomes A380 Return March 29, Qatar 5 Days
• 🌍 Middle East Aviation Crisis 2026: Complete 21-Day Guide — 52,000+ Flights Cancelled, Emirates 110+, Qatar March 28, EASA March 27
• ✅ Australia & New Zealand Flight Update March 21, 2026 Day 21: 90% Recovery, Qatar 7 Days, EASA March 27 Critical Update, BNE/ADL/AKL Final Countdown

Posted By : Vinay

As a lead contributor for Travel Tourister, Vinay is dedicated to serving our Tier 1 audience (US, UK, Canada, Australia). His mission is to deliver precise, fact-checked news and actionable, data-driven articles that empower readers to make informed decisions, minimize travel risks, and maximize their adventure without compromising safety or budget.