Middle East flights: First departures bring slight relief amid global aviation turmoil
Initial flights offer cautious hope as global aviation chaos continues
Amid ongoing tensions following the US-Israeli-Iran conflict, several international airlines began limited operations from the United Arab Emirates on Monday and Tuesday. This partial resumption provided temporary relief to passengers stranded by airspace disruptions in the Middle East. Etihad Airways, Emirates, and Flydubai confirmed select departures, though air traffic remained largely suspended in the region.
Key airports remain under strict restrictions
Dubai’s government directed travelers to airports only if directly contacted, signaling a “limited resumption of operations.” Despite this, over 80% of Dubai-bound and -departing flights, and more than half of Abu Dhabi’s international routes, were still canceled, per FlightAware. Flightradar24 added that more than 2,000 flights had been canceled across seven major Gulf airports, including Dubai International, Hamad International in Doha, and Zayed International in Abu Dhabi.
“Over 2,000 flights had been canceled to and from seven key airports in the Gulf region,” Flightradar24 noted on Monday.
Etihad Airways reported at least 15 flights departing Abu Dhabi on Monday, targeting destinations like Islamabad, Paris, Amsterdam, and Cairo. These included repatriation efforts, though regular commercial services remained halted. “Some repositioning, cargo, and repatriation flights may operate in coordination with UAE authorities and subject to strict approvals,” Etihad stated on social media.
Emirates initiated limited flights on Monday evening, with UAE500 to Mumbai departing Dubai at 6:15 pm CET. The airline prioritized earlier bookings, informing rebooked passengers directly. Dubai Airports confirmed a partial return to operations, allowing select flights from Dubai International and Dubai World Central – Al Maktoum International.
Meanwhile, two Flydubai flights circled over the Gulf, entering a holding pattern as they approached Dubai airport. Concurrently, two Etihad flights were en route to Abu Dhabi, following several departures from the airport that morning—marking the first such flights since the Iran conflict began. When Emirates flight UAE500 took off from Dubai International, it was tracked by over 138,000 users on Flightradar24.
“This is Emirates’ first departure from Dubai since 12:19 local time on 28 February,” Flightradar24 said.
On Tuesday morning, five Emirates A380 aircraft departed Dubai, heading to Jeddah, Manchester, Paris, London, and Frankfurt. Flydubai announced plans to operate four flights from the city and five arrivals, emphasizing collaboration with authorities to restore operations gradually.
Travelers across Europe, Africa, and Asia faced severe disruptions, with hundreds of thousands trapped in hotels, airports, and on cruise ships. Dubai International, Zayed International in Abu Dhabi, and Hamad International in Qatar—major hubs for regional travel—were directly targeted by Iranian strikes over the weekend. The Qatari airspace remains temporarily closed, suspending all aircraft movements at Hamad International. Qatar Airways will resume operations once the Civil Aviation Authority lifts restrictions.
