Four days after U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran sent shockwaves through Gulf aviation, the first cautious signs of recovery emerged Monday evening as both Dubai and Abu Dhabi began allowing a limited number of flights to resume. For the tens of thousands of travelers caught in the middle, it’s welcome news — though the situation remains far from normal.
The scale of the disruption has been staggering. According to Flightradar24, more than 9,500 flights have been canceled across seven major regional airports since the crisis began on February 28, when Iran’s retaliatory missile and drone launches prompted widespread airspace closures across the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and elsewhere in the region. At its peak, more than 3,400 flights were scrubbed in a single day, a level of disruption not seen in the region since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dubai was the first to show signs of life. Emirates confirmed it would begin operating a limited number of flights on Monday evening, prioritizing passengers with earlier bookings, who will be notified directly by the airline, according to the Dubai Media Office. The message to everyone else is clear: Do not go to the airport unless you’ve heard from your carrier. All city check-in points across Dubai remain closed for now.
Abu Dhabi followed suit, with Zayed International Airport announcing a partial resumption of operations on Monday in coordination with local authorities. Etihad‘s flagship A380 departing for London Heathrow marked the symbolic first passenger flight out since the shutdown began, with services to Paris, Moscow and Amsterdam also getting underway. That said, Etihad’s full schedule remains officially suspended through Wednesday afternoon, so only select flights are operating — and travelers should verify their status before heading to the airport.
Doha has yet to follow. Qatar Airways remains fully grounded pending the reopening of Qatari airspace, with the airline promising its next update by Tuesday morning local time.
The crisis has also reverberated well beyond the Gulf. In Israel, El Al has canceled all flights due to the continued closure of Israeli airspace and has stopped selling new tickets through March 21, reserving capacity for recovery operations once Ben Gurion Airport reopens. The airline is planning to bring stranded customers home from cities across North America, Europe, and Southeast Asia at no additional cost before opening remaining seats to the general public. It is also exploring the possibility of using charter aircraft to fly passengers into nearby Taba or Aqaba as an interim option.
For travelers booked on Delta Air Lines between New York and Tel Aviv, the airline has canceled service through March 8 and extended a travel waiver covering all TLV-related itineraries through the end of March.
With so many of the Gulf’s usual transit hubs either offline or operating at reduced capacity, Riyadh has emerged as a popular workaround for travelers trying to piece together alternative connections. Flights that would normally arc over the Gulf are being rerouted south over the Red Sea or north through Turkish and Caucasian airspace, adding hours to already long journeys.
The bottom line for anyone with travel to or through the region: Check your flight status before leaving for the airport, make sure your airline has your current contact information, and keep a close eye on updates as conditions can — and have been — changing by the hour.
Related Stories
One Dead, Seven Injured After Drone Targets Abu Dhabi Airport
Dubai Airport Hit, Flights Suspended Amid Iran Missile Strikes
Source link
