Dubai: International airlines are gradually restoring flights to the UAE, but travellers flying to Dubai or Abu Dhabi should still expect a patchwork of resumed, reduced and suspended services as carriers continue to assess the regional security situation.
Several major airlines have returned to the UAE, including Turkish Airlines, Air France, Qatar Airways, Air India and Air India Express, while Emirates continues to operate a largely restored international network.
However, other carriers — including British Airways, Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Lufthansa and Air Canada — continue to suspend or reduce services to Dubai and other Middle East destinations.
The situation remains fluid following renewed regional tensions, with airlines continuing to monitor airspace and adjust schedules when required.
Dubai Airports CEO Paul Griffiths said the recovery in international airline capacity at DXB is gathering pace, with more carriers expected to return as the winter schedule begins.
“Every single week we get another few red dots on the map and more routes,” Griffiths said, adding that the remaining piece of the recovery is the return of European and US carriers.
“The only thing I need for the cherry on top of my cake is for the European and US airlines to start flying again … I’m sure they’ll be back for the winter from the end of October.”
He said he was “pretty confident” that DXB would have a full schedule and all airlines back by the end of the third quarter. Griffiths revealed that Dubai Airports is also in discussions with major international airlines that have not previously operated at DXB, as well as airlines considering Dubai World Central (DWC).
“We’re not talking about startups, we’re not talking about minor carriers,” he said. “I’m talking about major international carriers that hitherto haven’t actually been operating here, and they’re interested in DXB and DWC.”
Flying to UAE
For passengers planning to travel to or from the UAE, these are the key international airlines currently operating or restoring services:
Turkish Airlines: Services to Dubai and Abu Dhabi have resumed. Flights to Iran remain suspended. The airline has warned that additional cancellations could occur as it monitors the regional airspace situation.
Air France: Flights to and from Dubai and Riyadh have resumed. Services to Beirut remain suspended through September 13.
Qatar Airways: The airline is operating multiple daily flights to Dubai and has resumed services to Bahrain, Kuwait and Erbil, although delays remain possible. It says its network has recovered to more than 160 destinations, or about 85 per cent of its pre-war network.
Air India and Air India Express: Both carriers have restored their full GCC network, including the destinations they served before the war. Together, they operate around 780 weekly flights between India and the region. The airlines continue to warn that travel may be affected by regional airspace closures.
IndiGo: The Indian carrier is operating selected flights to and from the Middle East, while continuing to monitor flight movements and regulatory guidance.
Flynas: Saudi Arabia’s budget carrier is operating daily flights to Dubai, Doha and Bahrain, alongside international destinations including Germany, Sri Lanka and the Philippines.
Jazeera Airways: The Kuwaiti airline is operating to selected destinations including Dubai, although intermittent closures of Kuwait International Airport and its airspace can disrupt services.
UAE airlines
The UAE’s own carriers are also continuing to operate, but with some regional services affected.
Emirates is operating to 140 destinations across 72 countries, representing 97 per cent of its previous global network. It has restored one daily Bahrain service and two daily flights to Kuwait, although additional Bahrain services remain cancelled. The airline advises passengers to check their flight status even after checking in.
Etihad Airways is continuing to operate Abu Dhabi-Bahrain services, although individual flights can be delayed. Its EY647 service has arrived, EY641 was delayed and EY645 was scheduled to operate in the supplied update.
flydubai is operating across its network on a reduced schedule. Some regional routes, including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Bahrain, remain vulnerable to short-notice changes. The airline also warns that rerouted flight paths can mean longer flight and transit times through Dubai.
Air Arabia is operating scheduled flights from Sharjah, Abu Dhabi and Ras Al Khaimah to a range of international destinations, including Vienna, Athens, Cairo, Kathmandu, Muscat, Islamabad, Jeddah and Bangkok. Services to Bahrain, Kuwait and Doha remain affected.