UAE Partially Restarts Flights Amid Middle East Travel Disruptions
The United Arab Emirates has resumed a limited number of flights as the Middle East faces widespread travel disruptions due to the ongoing conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran. Dubai’s airport authority announced on Monday that a "small number" of flights would operate from Dubai International Airport and Dubai World Central Airport, both major hubs for international travel.
Passengers have been advised not to make travel plans unless directly contacted by their airline with a confirmed departure time. Emirates, based in Dubai, confirmed the resumption of a limited number of flights, prioritizing customers with existing bookings. Meanwhile, Etihad Airways, headquartered in Abu Dhabi, stated that commercial flights would remain suspended until Wednesday, although some cargo, repositioning, and repatriation flights might occur, pending operational and safety approvals.
Flight tracking data from Flightradar24 indicated that at least 16 Etihad Airways flights departed from Abu Dhabi on Monday, heading to destinations such as London, Amsterdam, Moscow, and Riyadh. Additionally, two Emirates flights from Dubai landed in Mumbai and Chennai early Tuesday. However, some flights faced diversions, with two Etihad flights bound for Abu Dhabi redirected to Muscat, Oman, and an Emirates flight to Dubai returning to Mumbai.
The conflict has led to significant airspace closures across the region, with countries like Iraq, Jordan, Qatar, and Bahrain shutting their skies amid the US-Israeli attacks on Iran and Tehran's retaliatory strikes. This has resulted in over 11,000 flight cancellations since the conflict began on Saturday, according to aviation data firm Cirium. As a response, several governments are planning to repatriate their citizens stranded in the region.
Germany's Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs, Johann Wadephul, announced that Berlin would deploy chartered planes to Saudi Arabia and Oman to evacuate vulnerable individuals unable to return home. Aviation expert Tony Stanton from Strategic Air in Australia noted that the conflict could have a lasting impact on the airline industry if it extends beyond a few weeks. Key routes may become unviable, leading to increased operational costs due to insurer and regulator concerns.
Stanton warned that prolonged disruptions could result in a "reset" of route maps, with some services suspended indefinitely, hubs losing connection banks, and traffic shifting to alternative, lower-risk hubs. The situation underscores the potential for significant changes in global air travel patterns if the conflict continues.