Gulf flight suspensions: latest updates – Thursday 5 March

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Dubai International Airport

Air travel across the GCC region continues to face severe disruption, as the threat of Iranian airstrikes enters its sixth day. Of the 36,000 scheduled flights to or from the Middle East since Feb. 28, more than half have been cancelled, according to analytics firm Cirium.

International governments, from the UK to Italy and Germany, are ramping up charter services for stranded nationals in the region, while limited operations continue at many regional airports and Qatar’s airspace remains completely closed.

UAE authorities have launched a phased evacuation plan to repatriate more than 44,000 travellers from the UAE via national carriers. Between 1 and 3 March, nearly 17,500 passengers were transported on 60 flights, with the second phase now aiming for a further 80 flights to transport another 27,000 passengers.

On 5 March, Emirates announced it will be operating more than 100 flights by 6 March with bookings now open and those with previous bookings having priority.

On Tuesday 3 March, Dubai International Airport (DXB) recorded 83 flight movements, four to five times higher than Monday, according to Flightradar24. The next day, Emirates operated more than 30 flights to destinations such as Edinburgh, Sydney, London, Moscow, Mumbai and Hong Kong. Yet, despite gradual recovery, operations are still under 10% of normal traffic levels, the platform reported.

Elsewhere in the UAE, Abu Dhabi’s Zayed International Airport resumed partial operations, with Etihad offering special repatriation flights. Fujairah International Airport has also started operating charter flights to five destinations on 5 March in partnership with SalamAir: to Istanbul, Karachi, Calicut, Hyderabad and Lucknow.

Regional hubs in Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain remain closed amid ongoing airspace restrictions, leaving nearly 8,000 holidaymakers stranded in Qatar, according to the Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari. However, Qatar Airways has said it will operate relief flights from Muscat and Riyadh to several European destinations, with services from 5 March to Frankfurt from Riyadh, and to London Heathrow, Berlin, Copenhagen, Rome, Madrid and Amsterdam from Muscat.

Meanwhile, airports in Saudi Arabia and Muscat continue to operate as normal, handling much of the region’s remaining traffic, with more stranded passengers in the UAE choosing to travel over land to reach operational hubs such as Oman and Saudi Arabia. On 4 March, Muscat International Airport (MCT) had nearly 300 flight movements, as per flight radar data.

In response, Oman Air has issued a statement for passengers travelling into Muscat to “arrive at the border crossing at least 12 hours prior to their scheduled departure,” due to high traffic volumes.

Here are the latest GCC and international airline updates:

UAE

Emirates: Commercial flights are suspended until 7 March at 23:59 local time, but the airline will continue to operate select repatriation flights between 5 and 7 March, with priority for passengers with earlier bookings. On 5 March, Emirates said it will operate more than 100 flights by 6 March with bookings now open. Customers can rebook for travel on or before 27 March or request a refund for bookings made on or before 12 March. Customers are advised to complete the refund form or contact their travel agent.

Emirates Airlines

Etihad: Commercial flights are halted until 6 March at 06:00 UAE time, though Etihad may operate some repatriation or repositioning flights. All customers with flights up to 10 March can request a refund online or via their travel agent. Travellers with tickets issued on or before 28 February (for departures up to 10 March) can rebook free of charge for new dates until 31 March.

However, in coordination with UAE authorities, Etihad are operating a limited number of repatriation flights, with select services "available for sale on etihad.com for travel on 4 and 5 March", where approvals have been confirmed.

FlyDubai: Services have resumed on a partial basis, with limited flights departing from Terminal 2 and 3 at DXB. Passengers may rebook to the same destination free of charge within 20 days of their original travel date.

Scheduled services to multiple destinations will resume on 5 March.

Air Arabia: All services to and from the UAE are on hold until 9 March at 15:00 local time, while flights to Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and Iraq will remain grounded until 5 March. Limited services in coordination with authorities may still operate.

Customers with cancelled flights are eligible for one of the following: a full credit voucher, a full refund or one free date change within 15 days.

Qatar

Qatar Airways: All services are suspended due to the closure of Qatar’s airspace, with an update from the airline expected on 6 March at 09:00 local time. Customers with confirmed bookings for travel between 28 February and 10 March are eligible for either a refund of the unused value of their ticket or a complimentary date change within 14 days of the original departure date.

UAE plans up to 300 flights as safe corridors reopen

UAE to cover costs for stranded travellers amid flight disruptions

Saudi Arabia

Saudia airlines: Flight cancellations to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Amman, Doha, Kuwait and Bahrain have been extended until 7 March at 02:59 local time. All other services operate as normal. Affected passengers may request a refund or rebook travel free of charge within 14 days of the original departure.

Flynas: Services to the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Syria and Iraq are suspended until 6 March at 15:00 local time.

Kuwait

Kuwait Airways: The carrier is offering select repatriation flights for Kuwaiti citizens back to Kuwait with confirmed bookings and valid tickets from the following destinations: Amman, Cairo, Istanbul (including Sabiha Gökçen Airport), Paris, Milan, Barcelona, Munich, Manchester, London Heathrow and Manila. Passengers will first fly to Jeddah before continuing to Kuwait by land. Registration for this service closes on 6 March. Customers can contact the airline on WhatsApp at +965 1802050 for further enquiries.

Jazeera Airways: All services are suspended due to the closure of Kuwait’s airspace.

Bahrain

Gulf Air: Flights are suspended until further notice due to the closure of Bahrain’s airspace. The airline will provide an update on 5 March at 11:00 local time.

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

Saudia Airlines

Oman

Oman Air: Flights to Dubai, Doha, Bahrain, Kuwait, Amman, Baghdad and Khasab are cancelled until 6 March. Other services from Muscat continue as normal, though passengers are advised to expect possible delays. Customers with travel dates between 5 and 15 March are eligible for free date changes, refunds and reroutings.

Oman Air is also providing a bus service on 5 March between Sharjah’s Muwasalat Al Jubail Bus Station to Muscat International Airport (MCT). Travellers are required to reserve tickets in advance and arrive at the station at least 30 minutes before departure. The first service will depart at 7am, arriving in Muscat at 3pm, while the second bus will leave Sharjah at 1pm, reaching at 9pm.

Salam Air: Flights to and from Sharjah, Doha, Dammam, Kuwait, Lebanon, Iraq and Iran are suspended. However, in light of the current situation, the airline has added two daily flights for Fujairah until 14 March. Temporary services are also available to Istanbul until 8 March, Cairo on 5 and 7 March and Colombo until 5 March.

The airline is operating connections from Fujairah via Muscat to Istanbul, Sphinx and Colombo on 5 March. SalamAir passengers can also use the Oman Air bus service between Sharjah and Muscat airports, running until 5 March.

Salam Air

International Carriers

Air India Express: Flights between Muscat and Delhi, Kochi, Kozhikode, Mangaluru, Mumbai and Tiruchirappalli are operating as normal. The airline has also added extra services between Muscat and Delhi, Kochi and Mumbai. Passengers holding GCC bookings made by 28 February for travel through 5 March are eligible for free cancellations and date changes.

British Airways: Flights to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha, Bahrain, Amman and Tel Aviv are halted until further notice. The carrier’s select repatriation flights from Muscat between 5 and 7 March are fully booked.

Virgin Atlantic: Select flights between London Heathrow and Dubai and Riyadh resumed on 3 March following the partial reopening of regional airspace. Passengers should anticipate longer flight times due to ongoing route adjustments.

IndiGo: The carrier will operate 58 flights between the Gulf region and India on 4 March.

Sri Lankan: Select flights between Dubai and Riyadh will operate on 5 March. However, services to other cities including Doha, Dammam and Kuwait remain cancelled.

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. Lufthansa will also operate a flight from Muscat to Frankfurt on 4 and 5 March to fly home German citizens.

Swiss International Air Lines will also run a special flight from Muscat to Zurich on 5 March to bring back nationals.