Updated: March 16, 2026
Skift Take
Even after the Covid shutdown forced airlines to rethink disruption management, the Middle East conflict shows the industry still struggles with the basics.
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The global travel industry shut down six years ago this week as Covid swept across the world. Now the war with Iran has disrupted one of the world’s most important aviation corridors — and the industry faces a new test: Have airlines learned how to serve customers when travel breaks down on a massive scale?
Many travelers are now forced to navigate a patchwork of airline waivers and customer service policies. Some carriers have enacted “rolling waivers” that apply only to limited travel windows and are periodically extended, while others have issued blanket waivers covering the entire month of March. Still others are handling disruptions on a case-by-case basis. Travelers told Skift they have faced everything from repeated rebookings to uncertainty over whether canceled flights will be refunded at all.
And then there’s the promise of AI. In the future, airline systems may recognize what stranded travelers need, and virtual agents will be able to seamle
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