Middle East conflicts stall 5,500 EU deportation flights

Frontex, the EU border agency based in Warsaw, reported a sharp rise in return operations during early 2026, yet the momentum stalled as conflicts escalated. By July, the agency identified significant failures in its return mandates due to airspace closures spanning Bahrain, Iraq, Qatar, and the UAE. While the agency initially estimated 4,000 failed returns, that figure climbed to 5,500 by late September as member states suspended scheduling efforts.

Internal documents, specifically report WK 9599/2026, confirm that the crisis complicates the already difficult process of returning citizens to nations like Syria and Afghanistan. Although airspace occasionally reopens, the unpredictability of regional flight paths prevents consistent operations. Beyond the typical hurdles of national bureaucracy and absconding individuals, the war has introduced a persistent geopolitical barrier that national governments are currently struggling to navigate.