A glimmer of hope emerged for travellers stranded in the Middle East as a few international airlines cautiously resumed operations, offering a much-needed respite amidst the aviation chaos triggered by the US-Israel-Iran conflict.
Amidst the turmoil, long-haul carriers Etihad Airways and Emirates, based in Abu Dhabi and Dubai respectively, along with budget carrier Flydubai, announced the resumption of select flights from the United Arab Emirates. This limited relief came after air traffic was suspended across the region on Saturday, leaving countless travellers in a state of uncertainty.
Dubai's government advised passengers to head to airports only if directly contacted, emphasizing the "limited resumption of operations." FlightAware, a flight tracking website, reported that over 80% of scheduled flights to and from Dubai, and more than half of those to and from Abu Dhabi, remained cancelled.
Flightradar24, a popular aviation tracking platform, shared on X that more than 2,000 flights had been cancelled to and from seven key airports in the Gulf region: Dubai International, Hamad International Airport in Doha, Zayed International Airport in Abu Dhabi, Sharjah International Airport, Kuwait International Airport, Bahrain International Airport, and Dubai World Central - Al Maktoum International.
The first signs of recovery came as at least 15 Etihad flights took off from Abu Dhabi's airport on Monday, aiding in the evacuation of stranded passengers. These flights headed to various destinations, including Islamabad, Paris, Amsterdam, Mumbai, Cairo, and London Heathrow. However, regular commercial flights remained grounded.
Etihad clarified that "some repositioning, cargo, and repatriation flights may operate in coordination with UAE authorities and subject to strict operational and safety approvals." The airline confirmed that scheduled commercial flights to and from Abu Dhabi would remain suspended until 2 pm local time on Wednesday, March 4th.
Emirates also began operating a limited number of flights on Monday evening, prioritizing customers with earlier bookings. The airline stated, "Those who have been rebooked to travel on these limited flights will be contacted directly by Emirates." Dubai Airports confirmed a resumption of operations, allowing a small number of flights to operate from Dubai International and Dubai World Central - Al Maktoum International.
As Emirates flight UAE500 departed from Dubai at 6:15 pm CET, bound for Mumbai, it was monitored by Euronews journalists on Flightradar24. This marked Emirates' first departure from Dubai since 12:19 local time on February 28th.
On Tuesday morning, five Emirates A380 aircraft departed Dubai, heading to Jeddah, Manchester, Paris, London, and Frankfurt. In a statement, Flydubai announced it would operate four departing flights from the city and another five arriving flights on Monday, emphasizing its commitment to a gradual and efficient return to operations.
The conflict, which began on Saturday, has severely impacted air travel throughout the Middle East, stranding hundreds of thousands of travellers across multiple countries. Tourists, business travellers, and religious pilgrims found themselves unexpectedly stuck in hotels, airports, and even on cruise ships.
Dubai International Airport, Abu Dhabi's Zayed International Airport, and Hamad International Airport in Doha, Qatar, are vital hubs connecting Europe, Africa, and Asia. These three airports were directly targeted by Iranian strikes over the weekend, further exacerbating the travel chaos.
The temporary closure of Qatari airspace has resulted in the suspension of all aircraft movements at Hamad International Airport. Qatar Airways, the country's flag carrier, awaits the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority's announcement of the safe reopening of Qatari airspace before resuming operations. The airline promised an update by 9 am local time (7 am CET) on Wednesday.
The impact of the conflict extends to numerous airlines. On Tuesday, Indian airlines announced the resumption of limited commercial services to the Middle East, aiming to collect thousands of passengers stranded by the war. With millions of South Asian citizens living and working across the region, IndiGo stated it would operate four return flights to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia as part of its efforts to "progressively normalize" operations.
Air India Express resumed flights to and from the Omani capital Muscat from Tuesday, but services to and from Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE remain suspended, according to the airlines' statement. Budget carrier Akasa Air also announced it would operate select flights to Jeddah.
Oman Air has cancelled all flights to and from Amman, Dubai, Bahrain, Doha, Dammam, Kuwait, Copenhagen, and Baghdad for Tuesday, March 3rd. Other flights are operating as scheduled but with expected delays.
Saudia has cancelled flights to and from Amman, Kuwait, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha, Bahrain, Moscow, and Peshawar until 11:59 pm local time (9:59 pm CET) on March 4th.
Low-cost carrier Wizz Air has suspended all flights to and from Israel, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Amman, and Saudi Arabia up to and including March 7th.
Turkish Airlines has cancelled flights to and from Bahrain, Dammam, and Riyadh (Saudi Arabia), Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Syria, and the UAE.
Air France has cancelled its scheduled flights to and from Tel Aviv, Beirut, Dubai, and Riyadh until March 5th.
Dutch airline KLM is currently not flying through the airspace of Iran, Iraq, and Israel, nor over several countries in the Gulf region. Flights to, from, or via destinations in the region are either cancelled or adjusted. KLM's Tel Aviv flights are suspended for the remainder of its winter season operations; flights to and from Dubai are suspended until March 5th; and flights to and from Dammam and Riyadh are also suspended until March 5th.
British Airways is not flying to Tel Aviv and Bahrain until March 4th, and a number of flights to the Middle East have also been cancelled. The airline offers passengers due to fly between London Heathrow and Abu Dhabi, Amman, Bahrain, Doha, Dubai, or Tel Aviv up to and including March 15th the option to change their flight free of charge to travel on or before March 29th. Customers travelling up to and including March 8th may also request a full refund.
Lufthansa Group airlines, including Lufthansa, SWISS International Air Lines, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, ITA Airways, and Eurowings, have suspended flights to Tel Aviv, Beirut, Amman, Erbil, Dammam, and Tehran until March 8th. Additionally, Lufthansa Group airlines have also suspended flights to and from Dubai until March 4th.
Finnair has suspended daily flights to Dubai and Doha until March 6th, while Norwegian is suspending its flights to and from Dubai up until and including March 4th. The budget carrier stated, "We will then assess if it's possible to resume flights."
Delta Air Lines has cancelled flights from New York to Tel Aviv until March 8th, while American Airlines' Doha-Philadelphia flights are "temporarily suspended."
Air Canada has announced that all flights to and from Dubai and Tel Aviv are currently suspended and will restart on March 23rd.
Air India has extended the suspension of all flights to and from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Israel, and Qatar until 11:59 pm local time (7:29 pm CET) on March 2nd, 2026.
Garuda Indonesia, Indonesia's flag carrier, has temporarily suspended flights to and from Doha "until further notice," the company stated in a Sunday announcement.
This ongoing crisis has left countless travellers in limbo, with the situation evolving rapidly. As airlines navigate the challenges posed by the conflict, the priority remains ensuring the safety and well-being of passengers while working towards a gradual restoration of services. The impact of this conflict on global travel and the aviation industry is a stark reminder of the interconnectedness of our world and the challenges that can arise in times of geopolitical tension.
What are your thoughts on the impact of geopolitical events on travel and aviation? Do you think airlines are handling the situation effectively, or is there room for improvement? Share your insights and experiences in the comments below!
