Air travel across the United Arab Emirates remains under pressure nearly two months after the US-Israel-Iran conflict, with airlines continuing to operate through restricted air corridors, longer routes, and reduced schedules.
The aviation sector has been significantly impacted, as rising fuel costs, driven by global oil price surges and ongoing airspace closures across parts of the Middle East have forced carriers to reroute flights and adjust operations.
Despite these challenges, major UAE airlines including Emirates, Etihad Airways, flydubai, and Air Arabia continue to maintain essential global connectivity, though with fewer flights and extended travel durations.
UAE airlines operations
The country’s leading carriers have scaled back services but are maintaining core international routes while closely monitoring the evolving situation. Airlines stress that passenger safety remains the top priority, urging travellers to regularly check flight status, monitor notifications, and keep contact details updated.
Emirates latest update
Emirates is currently operating flights to over 100 destinations worldwide, although frequencies remain limited and schedules are subject to change. The airline has introduced flexible rebooking options and refunds for disrupted passengers, including complimentary date changes for certain bookings.
However, flights may take longer due to rerouting, particularly around restricted airspace over Iran and parts of Iraq.
Etihad Airways routes
Etihad Airways continues to serve around 80 destinations despite disruptions. The airline is offering free rebooking or refunds for tickets issued before February 28, with extended travel flexibility into mid-June.
flydubai network
flydubai is operating a reduced network, mainly across regional and short-haul routes. Passengers are advised to expect longer travel times and regularly check for updates due to changing flight paths.
Air Arabia operations
Air Arabia is running limited flights from key hubs including Sharjah, Abu Dhabi, and Ras Al Khaimah. Affected passengers can opt for free date changes, vouchers, or full refunds.
Regional airline updates
Other Gulf carriers are gradually restoring services, though operations remain uneven:
- Gulf Air has partially resumed flights with limited frequencies
- Qatar Airways has restarted daily flights to Dubai and Sharjah, with broader expansion plans underway
- Jazeera Airways has temporarily shifted operations to Saudi airports due to closures in Kuwait
- Oman Air has extended cancellations on several regional routes
International carriers impact
Major global airlines including British Airways, Air France, and Lufthansa have reduced or suspended Middle East operations due to safety concerns.
Asian carriers such as Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific have also paused key routes, while Air Canada has suspended Dubai flights until September.
Overall, while airlines continue to maintain critical connectivity, passengers should expect delays, limited schedules, and flexible booking policies as the regional situation evolves.
