The Middle East Airspace Disruptions Prompt Sparse Yet Notable Reopenings, With Global Airlines Testing the Waters
A handful of international carriers resumed a limited set of services from the United Arab Emirates on Monday and Tuesday, offering a glimmer of relief to travelers caught in the crosswinds of airspace closures tied to the US-Israel–Iran tensions. Major long-haul operators Etihad Airways and Emirates, based in Abu Dhabi and Dubai respectively, along with budget carrier Flydubai, announced they would run a small selection of flights from the country, where air traffic had been paused over the weekend.
Dubai’s authorities advised passengers to come to the airports only if they had been directly contacted, describing the move as a “limited resumption of operations.” Flight tracking service FlightAware indicated that more than 80% of flights to and from Dubai, and over half of those to and from Abu Dhabi, remained canceled.
Flightradar24 highlighted on X that over 2,000 flights were canceled to and from seven Gulf-area hubs—Dubai International, Hamad International (Doha), Zayed (Abu Dhabi), Sharjah, Kuwait International, Bahrain International, and Dubai World Central (Al Maktoum).
First Etihad and Emirates departures signal tentative restart
At least 15 Etihad flights departed from Abu Dhabi on Monday to assist passengers stranded there, according to Flightradar24. The routes included destinations such as Islamabad, Paris, Amsterdam, Mumbai, Cairo, and London Heathrow, though most regular commercial services remained suspended.
Etihad stated on social media that some repositioning, cargo, and repatriation flights might operate in coordination with UAE authorities and would require strict safety and operational approvals. Scheduled commercial flights to and from Abu Dhabi were explicitly suspended until 2 pm local time on Wednesday, March 4.
Emirates began a limited resumption of services Monday evening. The carrier noted that it would prioritize customers with earlier bookings and those who had been rebooked, with affected travelers being contacted directly. Dubai Airports confirmed a cautious return, allowing a small number of flights to operate from Dubai International and Dubai World Central.
Emirates UAE500 bound for Mumbai lifted off from Dubai at 18:15 local time, followed by UAE542 to Chennai, as observed by Euronews reporters via Flightradar24.
Meanwhile, two Flydubai flights nearing Dubai entered holding patterns over the Gulf, while two Etihad aircraft were preparing to land in Abu Dhabi after several planes had briefly departed earlier in the day—the first such movements since the Iran-related conflict escalated.
Emirates’ Dubai departure UAE500 drew attention on Flightradar24, with more than 138,000 people watching the moment as it took off—the first Emirates outbound from Dubai since February 28.
Tuesday's activity saw five Emirates A380s leaving Dubai for Jeddah, Manchester, Paris, London, and Frankfurt.
Planned schedules and ongoing monitoring
Flydubai announced it would operate four flights out of Dubai and bring in five aircraft on Monday, while stressing continued collaboration with authorities to ensure a smooth, gradual return to normal operations. The airline underscored that the situation remained fluid and that schedules would be adjusted as needed.
With the region’s air travel severely constrained, the weekend’s conflict left hundreds of thousands stranded across multiple countries. Tourists, business travelers, and pilgrims found themselves stuck in hotels, airports, and on ships as the disruption spread.
Key hubs—Dubai International, Abu Dhabi’s Zayed, and Doha’s Hamad—serve as crucial junctions for connections between Europe, Africa, and Asia. All three were directly affected by weekend strikes, creating knock-on effects for through passengers as well as those boarding for longer journeys.
Qatar Airways paused operations at Hamad while awaiting a safe reopening of Qatari airspace, with the airline promising an update by Wednesday at 9 a.m. local time (7 a.m. CET).
Airline responses by carrier and region
On Tuesday, Indian carriers announced limited resumption of services to the Middle East to help thousands of passengers stranded by the conflict. IndiGo planned four return flights to Jeddah as part of a broader effort to gradually normalize ties with the region.
Air India Express announced resumption of flights to Muscat, Oman, starting Tuesday, though services to Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE remained suspended. Akasa Air also planned select services to Jeddah.
Oman Air canceled all flights to and from Amman, Dubai, Bahrain, Doha, Dammam, Kuwait, Copenhagen, and Baghdad for Tuesday, March 3, while other routes remained scheduled but with delays.
Saudia canceled flights to and from Amman, Kuwait, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha, Bahrain, Moscow, and Peshawar through 11:59 p.m. local time (9:59 p.m. CET) on March 4.
Low-cost carrier Wizz Air halted all services to Israel, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Amman, and Saudi Arabia through March 7.
Turkish Airlines canceled routes to and from Bahrain, Dammam, Riyadh, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Syria, and the UAE. Air France suspended flights to Tel Aviv, Beirut, Dubai, and Riyadh through March 5.
KLM temporarily avoided Iranian, Iraqi, and Israeli airspace, and avoided several Gulf routes; Tel Aviv flights are paused for the winter season; Dubai services are suspended through March 5, as are Damman and Riyadh flights.
British Airways suspended trips to Tel Aviv and Bahrain until March 4, offering free changes or refunds for London–Abu Dhabi, Amman, Bahrain, Doha, Dubai, or Tel Aviv itineraries through mid-March.
Lufthansa Group members paused flights to Tel Aviv, Beirut, Amman, Erbil, Dammam, and Tehran until March 8, and to Dubai until March 4.
Finnair halted daily Dubai and Doha flights until March 6, while Norwegian suspended Dubai services through March 4, with a reevaluation for a possible return.
Delta canceled New York–Tel Aviv flights through March 8, and American paused Doha–Philadelphia operations. Air Canada suspended all Dubai and Tel Aviv services, with restart planned for March 23.
Air India extended suspensions of all flights to and from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Israel, and Qatar through March 2, 2026, 23:59 local time (7:29 p.m. CET). Garuda Indonesia (the Indonesian flag carrier) paused Doha-bound flights “until further notice.”
Why this matters
The region’s airspace turmoil highlights how quickly travel plans can collapse amid geopolitical tensions, forcing carriers to juggle safety, regulatory constraints, and passenger welfare. As airports cautiously reopen in small increments, travelers should stay flexible, monitor official airline updates, and be prepared for further schedule shifts.
What do you think about these tentative reopenings? Are temporary flights enough to alleviate passenger backlogs, or should broader, safer routes be restored first? Share your take and experiences in the comments.
