Limited Flights Leave UAE but Disruption Continues Amid Iran Strikes

Published: 3 March 2026 . The English Chronicle Desk.
The English Chronicle Online

Travel chaos persists across the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as limited flights operate from key Gulf hubs while broader airspace disruptions sparked by the ongoing US‑Israel campaign against Iran continue to unsettle global aviation. The evolving situation — marked by closures, cancellations and selective departures — underscores how conflict in the region has reverberated through one of the world’s busiest air corridors.

Commercial flight operations at major UAE airports such as Dubai International Airport and Abu Dhabi International Airport remain heavily restricted, with the bulk of scheduled services still suspended as authorities keep civilian airspace closed or subject to stringent safety conditions. The disruptions began after U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian targets triggered widespread airspace closures across the Gulf and Middle East, drawing airlines to cancel or reroute flights to avoid potential conflict zones.

Despite the continued limitations, a small number of flights have resumed under tightly controlled circumstances. Carriers including Emirates, Etihad and flydubai are operating special services largely focused on evacuations, repatriations and essential repositioning flights coordinated with government authorities to assist stranded travellers and clear congested airports. These limited departures represent a concerted effort by airlines and the UAE government to provide options for travellers while ensuring safety remains paramount.

Passengers based in the region or seeking to transit through the Gulf face a highly fluid situation. Most scheduled commercial flights remain cancelled, with rebooking, refunds and contingency arrangements continuing to be processed by carriers. Thousands of travellers — including expatriate residents, tourists and business passengers — remain stranded or uncertain about onward travel, while some governments are arranging dedicated evacuation flights for their citizens from the UAE and neighbouring states.

Airspace closures and partial reopenings have also forced carriers worldwide to reroute long‑haul services via alternative corridors, lengthening flight times and complicating global airline schedules. Data from aviation analysts show sustained cancellations and delays not only across the Middle East but also at connecting hubs in Europe and Asia that normally rely on Gulf transit routes.

Officials and airlines continue to emphasise that safety is the overriding priority and that flight operations will expand only in line with assessments of risk and airspace conditions. At the same time, the persistence of disruption reflects ongoing uncertainty around the conflict’s trajectory and its impact on civil aviation infrastructure and regional security.

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