Middle East conflict disrupts Gulf airspace. Check latest Abu Dhabi Airport reopening updates, operating flights, airline advisories and booking tips.
Airlines have responded by suspending flights to and from the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Iran, leaving hundreds of thousands of passengers stranded at airports and in transit cities across the world. (Photo: Social Media)
An escalating conflict in the Middle East involving Iran, the United States, and Israel has thrown global air travel into chaos, forcing the closure of major airspace over the Gulf region and cancelling flights worldwide. In a dramatic escalation, Iran launched ballistic and drone strikes on cities including Abu Dhabi and Dubai, causing damage to civilian infrastructure and forcing aviation authorities to halt commercial operations as a safety measure. These developments have sparked one of the most disruptive periods for international travel since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Airlines have responded by suspending flights to and from the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Iran, leaving hundreds of thousands of passengers stranded at airports and in transit cities across the world.
With regular commercial services suspended, booking flights out of the UAE has become far more complex. Major carriers like Etihad Airways, Emirates, and flydubai have halted scheduled flights as long-range airspace closures remain in effect.
However, governments and airlines are now operating limited evacuation and repatriation flights to help citizens and residents get out of the region safely. These are usually posted directly on airline websites and official government travel advisories, and seats are expected to fill quickly.
Check official airline channels (Etihad, Emirates, flydubai) for emergency flights.
Look for government-organised repatriation services for your country.
Be prepared for frequent changes and short notification times.
Limited flight operations have restarted at Dubai International Airport and Zayed International Airport after receiving special clearances from authorities.
Emirates has resumed select services to major Indian cities, including Mumbai, Chennai, New Delhi, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad. Meanwhile, flydubai has restarted flights to destinations such as Novosibirsk, Moscow, Kazan, Yekaterinburg, Warsaw, Belgrade, and Bucharest.
Etihad Airways has also begun operating a small number of approved flights, including services to London and Paris, and is facilitating transit passengers as operations gradually stabilise.
Most scheduled international services from Abu Dhabi and other Gulf hubs remain suspended as long as airspace restrictions continue.
Only limited evacuation and repatriation flights are currently operating, including:
Commercial airlines have paused regular flights until the regional airspace reopens, with no firm timeline available yet.
Hi Sumit, customers who have been rebooked to travel on the limited flights will be contacted directly by Emirates. Please do not go to the airport unless you have been notified.
— Emirates Support (@EmiratesSupport) March 3, 2026
Travel Advisory
— IndiGo (@IndiGo6E) March 2, 2026
As part of our efforts to progressively normalize our operations between Saudi Arabia and India, we will be operating four dedicated flights from Jeddah tomorrow, 3rd March 2026, to
🔹 Mumbai
🔹 Hyderabad
🔹 Ahmedabad
These flights are being arranged to cater…
SpiceJet is operating special flights from Fujairah to Delhi, Mumbai and Kochi to support Indian nationals travelling home.
— SpiceJet (@flyspicejet) March 3, 2026
Standing by when it matters!
Jai Hind 🇮🇳#flyspicejet #spicejet pic.twitter.com/0wznG7hQgv
