Middle East tensions impact Montana travelers

MONTANA — Rising tensions in the Middle East are causing global travel disruptions, and Montana is feeling the effects. Travelers are facing difficulties in returning home, while others are reconsidering their plans due to safety concerns.

Terri Raugland from Blackfoot River Outfitters shared a story about a friend who is currently stranded.

"We have a friend of ours of the flower shop, and I'm actually on a board here in Missoula with him. We've known him for about 15 years and he is in a situation that nobody would want to be in, coming back from a fishing trip in East Africa and had a layover in Dubai or a connecting flight in Dubai and the war started. So he's stranded there with a buddy and we're trying to get him home," said Raugland.

Some Montanans are opting to avoid travel through the region entirely. Brandi Travis from Livingston faced an unexpected cost when she canceled a flight that included a connection through Doha, despite having trip insurance.

"When I canceled that flight on Qatar Airlines, I was charged $360 just for canceling the flight when we did have travel insurance. That's a I guess, a nonrefundable penalty that we were charged for just canceling the flight," said Travis.

Qatar Airways has stated that passengers with confirmed bookings and travel dates between February 28 and March 15, 2026, are eligible for flexible travel options. These options include changing travel dates without fees or requesting a refund of the unused value of the ticket. However, these policies apply only to travelers whose trips fall within this specific window.

Brandi's flight was scheduled for March 27, which is outside the airline’s flexible travel window. She understands the policies but hopes the airline might reconsider the $360 cancellation fee due to the safety concerns that led her to change her plans.

Readers may want to check Qatar Airways' website for more information on their travel policies.