Gulf flight suspensions: latest updates

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GCC flight suspensions 6 March DXB aiport Dubai Internationa

Dubai International Airport (DXB)

Nearly a week into the ongoing conflict in the GCC, air travel is gradually recovering as UAE carriers ramp up operations.

Emirates has reopened bookings for more than 100 flights to 82 destinations worldwide between 5 and 6 March, while Etihad Airways is resuming services from Abu Dhabi to 70 cities for travel between 6 and 19 March. Other UAE operators, including Flydubai and Air Arabia, continue to run limited schedules, with Air Arabia suspending all but select routes until 9 March.

The measured rebound comes as traffic through Dubai International Airport (DXB) rises for a third consecutive day, recording 310 flight movements on 5 March, according to Flightradar24 data. However, the platform noted that current operations remain at only 25% of normal capacity.

Meanwhile, airspace closures persist over Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait. Repatriation efforts are underway, with Kuwait Airways operating return flights for citizens stranded in cities such as Paris, Cairo and Manila. Qatar Airways has also launched relief services from Muscat and Riyadh to key European destinations including Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Rome, Madrid, Berlin and London.

Saudi Arabia and Oman continue to serve as the primary transit hubs for regional air traffic, with Flynas beginning services from Dubai to Riyadh and Jeddah from 6 March and Oman Air ramping up flights to European and Asian destinations. Muscat International Airport (MCT) handled more than 1,500 flight movements in the week ending 5 March, according to flight tracking data.

As travellers make their way to operational hubs via land borders, Oman Air has issued an advisory urging passengers to arrive at border crossings at least 12 hours before departure due to heavy congestion at checkpoints.

Here are the latest regional and international airline updates:

UAE

Emirates: Commercial flights remain grounded until 7 March at 23:59 local time, however, select repatriation services have resumed on a limited schedule.

The airline is operating flights to 82 destinations between 5 and 6 March, which can be viewed here. Tickets are available for purchase, with priority for customers with earlier bookings.

For connecting passengers, the airline has advised: “Customers transiting in Dubai will only be accepted for travel if their connecting flight is operating”

Customers with bookings between 28 February and 31 March can request a refund or rebook for travel until 30 April. All city check-in points across Dubai are closed until further notice.

GCC flight suspensions 6 March Emirates shutterstock 205

Emirates Airline

Etihad: Etihad Airways has resumed operations, with bookings now open for flights to 70 destinations from Abu Dhabi between 6 and 19 March, including:

Ahmedabad, Addis Ababa, Amsterdam, Athens, Atlanta, Bangkok, Barcelona, Beijing, Bengaluru, Boston, Brussels, Cairo, Casablanca, Chiang Mai, Chicago, Colombo, Copenhagen, Delhi, Denpasar (Bali), Dublin, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Geneva, Hanoi, Hong Kong, Hyderabad, Islamabad, Istanbul, Jakarta, Jeddah, Karachi, Kochi, Kolkata, Kozhikode, Krabi, Kuala Lumpur, Lahore, London (Heathrow), Madrid, Malé, Manchester, Manila, Medina, Melbourne, Milan (Malpensa), Moscow (Sheremetyevo), Mumbai, Munich, Muscat, Nairobi, New York (JFK), Paris, Phnom Penh, Phuket, Prague, Riyadh, Rome, Seoul (Incheon), Seychelles, Singapore, St Petersburg, Sydney, Taipei, Thiruvananthapuram, Tokyo, Toronto, Vienna, Warsaw, Washington and Zurich.

Priority will be given to customers with prior bookings, while all other services remain suspended until further notice.

Refunds are available for flights through 21 March, while passengers with tickets issued on or before 28 February (for departures up to 21 March) can rebook free of charge for travel up to 15 May.

Flydubai: Flights are currently operating on a partial basis, with services to additional destinations now resumed after 5 March. Passengers transiting through Dubai will only be boarded if their connecting flight is operating.

Customers travelling between 28 February and 31 March can rebook free of charge to the same destination within 30 days of their original departure.

Air Arabia: Services are suspended until 9 March at 15:00 local time. Yet, some flights may operate as permitted by authorities. Flights to Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and Iraq were suspended until 5 March, however the airline has yet to provide an update.

Affected passengers are eligible for one of the following: a full refund, a full credit voucher or one free date change within 15 days.

Qatar Airways

Qatar

Qatar Airways: The carrier is arranging limited relief flights for stranded travellers. The airline will contact passengers directly with arrangements and next steps. Commercial services continue to be cancelled, with Qatar Airways expected to provide an update on 7 March at 09:00 local time.

Customers with tickets for travel between 28 February and 15 March are eligible for a refund for the unused portion of their ticket, or a complimentary date change within 14 days of the original departure. Affected passengers can contact the airline at +974 4144 5555.

Saudi Arabia

Saudia Airlines: Flight suspensions to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha, Bahrain, Kuwait and Amman are extended until 7 March 02:59 local time. All other services are operating as normal.

Passengers can request a refund or rebook free of charge within 14 days of the original departure. If only part of their journey is affected, they can request an alternative route or choose the “Travel Later” option to use their ticket in the future.

Flynas: Services between Dubai and Riyadh and Jeddah will resume from 6 March. Flights to Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Doha, Bahrain, Kuwait, Syria and Iraq are suspended until 9 March at 23:59 local time.

Flynas

Kuwait

Kuwait Airways: The airline is operating limited repatriation services for Kuwaiti citizens, including confirmed flights from London Heathrow to Dammam on 6 March and from Manchester on 7 March.

Additional flights from the following destinations will also be available: Amman, Cairo, Istanbul (including Sabiha Gökçen International Airport), Paris, Milan, Barcelona, Munich and Manila.

Registration closes on 6 March and customers can contact the airline on WhatsApp at +965 1802050 for further enquiries.

Jazeera Airways: Services remain suspended until 7 March at 10:00 local time due to the closure of Kuwait’s airspace. A new update will be shared by Jazeera Airways on 7 March at 09:00.

Bahrain

Gulf Air: Flights are grounded due to the closure of Bahrain’s airspace. Gulf Air will provide a new update on 6 March at 11:00 local time.

Customers with flights up until 10 March can request a refund or rebook free of cost for travel until 31 March.

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Oman

Oman Air: Services to Dubai, Doha, Bahrain, Kuwait, Amman, Baghdad and Khasab are halted until 6 March. Passengers with travel dates between 5 and 15 March are eligible for complimentary date changes, refunds and reroutings.

The airline is introducing additional flights to and from the following destinations to accommodate growing demand from Muscat International Airport (MCT): London Heathrow (7 to 16 March), Istanbul (9 to 16 March), Bangkok (8 to 15 March), Kuala Lumpur (8 to 11 March), Cairo (8 to 15 March) and Mumbai (7 to 8 March).

Oman Air is also operating a bus service between Sharjah’s Muwasalat Al Jubail Bus Station and Muscat International from 6 to 10 March. The first shuttle will depart Sharjah at 07:00 and arrive in Muscat at 15:00, while the second service will leave at 13:00 and arrive at 21:00.

Customers must purchase tickets in advance and arrive at the bus terminal 20 minutes before departure.

SalamAir: Services to Sharjah, Doha, Dammam and Kuwait are suspended until 20 March, while flights to Iraq, Lebanon and Iran are paused until 28 March.

The airline has also added additional flights from Muscat to the following destinations: Fujairah (double daily until 20 March), Istanbul (daily until 10 March) and Cairo (daily on 5,7 and 8 March).

SalamAir passengers can also use the Oman Air bus service between Sharjah and Muscat airports, running until 10 March.

British Airways

International Carriers

British Airways: Flights to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha, Dammam, Bahrain, Amman and Tel Aviv are grounded until further notice. Repatriation flights from Muscat to the UK until 8 March are fully booked.

Lufthansa Group airlines (Lufthansa, Swiss, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines and ITA Airways): Services to and from Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Larnaca in Cyprus are suspended until 6 March, and to Amman, Beirut, Tel Aviv, Erbil and Tehran until 8 March.

Air India: Air India and Air India Express have resumed flights to Jeddah and Muscat.

SriLankan Airlines: Services from Colombo to the following destinations have been suspended for 6 March: Dubai, Riyadh, Doha, Dammam and Kuwait.