Travelling from UAE? Check latest Emirates, Etihad, flydubai and Air Arabia flight updates
Dubai and Abu Dhabi operations remain mixed, with changes possible at short notice
DUBAI – UAE travellers face another day of uneven flight operations on Saturday, with delays, cancellations and extended suspensions affecting services from Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
Emirates, Etihad Airways, flydubai and Air Arabia are maintaining or adjusting several regional routes, while international carriers continue to assess their schedules amid the wider security situation. Travellers are being advised to check the status of their individual flights before leaving for the airport, as schedules can change at short notice.
Air France has extended its suspension of Dubai flights through September 8, while Cathay Pacific has suspended passenger services to Dubai and Riyadh through November 30. Other airlines have also extended or maintained route suspensions, although several carriers have resumed selected services across the Gulf and wider Middle East.
The disruption is not solely attributable to the regional conflict. Airlines and airports have also reported operational, technical and airport-related issues affecting individual flights.
Etihad Airways
Etihad Airways said services between Abu Dhabi and Bahrain and Kuwait were mostly operating normally, with no major cancellations reported on those routes.
Several flights were, however, facing delays on Saturday. These included EY299 and MS8419 from Abu Dhabi to Karachi, EY213 from Abu Dhabi to Delhi, EY277 from Abu Dhabi to Peshawar and EY331 from Abu Dhabi to Kochi.
The airline also reported several disruptions on September 4 caused by operational, technical or airport-related issues. Flights to Manila were delayed for operational reasons, while an Abu Dhabi to Jeddah service was diverted to Medina following an airport closure in Jeddah.
Flights to Sochi and the return service were cancelled following an airport closure, while services to Warsaw and Milan were delayed because of a technical issue.
Etihad passengers have been advised to check the airline's official channels for the latest information before travelling to the airport.
Air Arabia
Air Arabia Abu Dhabi reported several morning delays from Abu Dhabi on September 5.
Affected destinations included Cairo, Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, Ahmedabad, Calicut, Sialkot and Multan, along with other regional destinations.
Meanwhile, Air Arabia has cancelled several flights between the UAE and Gulf destinations.
The affected services include G9068 and G9124 from Sharjah to Kuwait, G9107 from Sharjah to Bahrain and 3L020 from Abu Dhabi to Kuwait.
Passengers affected by the cancellations have been advised to contact Air Arabia for information about rebooking and refunds.
Travellers should also verify the status of their individual booking before travelling to the airport, as cancellations and delays can affect different services separately.
Emirates
Emirates was scheduled to operate several key Gulf services from Dubai, including EK837 and EK839 to Bahrain and EK857 to Kuwait.
The airline has advised passengers to check its official website and other airline channels for the latest flight information before travelling. Schedules can change at short notice, making individual flight status checks particularly important for passengers heading to Dubai International Airport.
Delays were also recorded at Dubai International Airport on several services, including Emirates flights to Brisbane and Kochi.
The airport was also reporting disruption involving other carriers, including Ariana Afghan Airlines services to Kabul and SpiceJet flights to Mumbai, New Delhi, Jaipur, Kozhikode and Kochi.
flydubai
flydubai flights to Kuwait and Bahrain were operating as scheduled.
The airline has issued specific instructions for passengers departing from Dubai. Travellers have been advised to arrive at least four hours before departure, complete online check-in where available and check their flight status before leaving for the airport.
Passengers should also allow additional time for traffic, check-in, security and immigration procedures.
The four-hour recommendation is particularly relevant to flydubai passengers departing from Dubai as the carrier continues to manage its operations amid changing regional conditions.
International carriers
Several international airlines are gradually restoring services to the UAE while continuing to monitor airspace and security conditions across the region.
Turkish Airlines has resumed Dubai and Abu Dhabi services but continues to suspend flights to Iran. Qatar Airways is operating multiple daily flights to Dubai and has resumed services to Bahrain, Kuwait and Erbil, although delays remain possible.
Qatar Airways has said its network has recovered to more than 160 destinations, representing around 85 percent of its pre-war network.
Air India and Air India Express have restored their full Gulf network, with around 780 weekly flights between India and the region. The airlines have nevertheless warned that regional airspace restrictions could still affect operations.
IndiGo is operating selected Middle East services while monitoring the regional situation and regulatory guidance. flynas is operating daily services to Dubai, Doha and Bahrain, alongside flights to destinations including Germany, Sri Lanka and the Philippines.
Jazeera Airways is operating selected services, including flights to Dubai, although intermittent closures of Kuwait International Airport and its airspace could cause further disruption.
Suspended routes
Several major airlines continue to suspend Dubai and Abu Dhabi services for extended periods.
Air France has suspended flights to and from Dubai through September 8, inclusive, while it monitors the evolving security situation. The carrier has resumed services to Tel Aviv and Riyadh, although Beirut flights remain suspended through September 13.
Cathay Pacific has suspended all passenger flights to Dubai and Riyadh through November 30 because of regional security developments. The airline is waiving rebooking, rerouting and refund charges for eligible existing bookings, with affected passengers able to select new travel dates extending to March 31, 2027.
British Airways continues to suspend Dubai and Abu Dhabi services, with Dubai flights scheduled to resume on October 25 at a reduced frequency.
Singapore Airlines and ITA Airways have suspended Dubai services until October 24, while Finnair has suspended Helsinki-Dubai flights until the same date.
Philippine Airlines has suspended Manila-Dubai flights until October 2, while AirBaltic has suspended Dubai flights until October 24.
Korean Air's Incheon-Dubai flights remain suspended until further notice. Pegasus has suspended services to Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah, while Virgin Atlantic continues to suspend London-Dubai flights for the foreseeable future.
Lufthansa, Eurowings and SWISS have suspended Dubai services through October 24 for operational reasons. Eurowings plans to resume Dubai flights from November 1.
Air Canada has suspended Dubai services until mid-January 2027.
Travel advice
For passengers travelling from the UAE on Saturday, checking the specific flight status before setting off for the airport remains essential, even when a booking was previously confirmed.
Travellers are advised to arrive at least three hours before departure, or earlier if instructed by their airline. Passengers flying from Dubai on flydubai should allow at least four hours, in line with the carrier's guidance.
Online check-in should be completed where available, while extra time should be allowed for road traffic, airport check-in, security and immigration.
Passengers should ensure their contact details are up to date with the airline so they can receive disruption alerts and other important notifications. They should also be prepared for last-minute delays, cancellations or timetable changes.
International travel advice remains mixed. The UK has lifted its broad warning against all but essential travel for major regional hubs including the UAE, Kuwait and Qatar, while continuing to warn that the situation remains unpredictable and that flight delays or sudden airspace changes are possible.
The US continues to place the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Oman at Level 3, or "Reconsider Travel", citing risks associated with armed conflict, drone and missile interceptions and significant commercial flight disruption.
Australia has downgraded its UAE travel advice from Level 4, "Do Not Travel", to Level 3, "Reconsider Your Need to Travel".
Canada continues to advise travellers to exercise a high degree of caution in the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar. It also recommends keeping travel documents up to date and maintaining sufficient supplies in case travellers need to shelter in place if commercial flights are suspended.
With airline schedules continuing to change, passengers should rely on their carrier's official website or app, as well as airport channels, for the latest information before travelling.