Flying from UAE? Check latest Emirates, Etihad, Air Arabia and flydubai delays and cancellations
Several international airlines continue suspending Dubai and Abu Dhabi flights
DUBAI – Travellers flying to or from the UAE are being advised to check their individual flight status before heading to the airport as airlines continue to adjust schedules amid an unsettled regional situation.
Emirates, Etihad Airways, Air Arabia and flydubai are operating a number of key services, although delays and cancellations remain possible at short notice.
Some flights between the UAE and Bahrain and Kuwait are operating as scheduled, while other services have been affected by cancellations, delays or operational changes. Air France has also extended its suspension of flights to and from Dubai until September 15 as it continues to monitor regional security conditions.
The disruption does not have a single cause. While some schedule changes may be connected to regional conflict and airspace restrictions, airlines and airports have also reported operational, technical and weather-related issues.
Etihad Airways
Etihad services to Bahrain and Kuwait were largely operating normally, with Abu Dhabi-Bahrain flights EY647, EY641 and EY645 operating or scheduled to operate. Abu Dhabi-Kuwait flight EY553 had also departed.
However, some long-haul services faced disruption. Flight EY111 from Abu Dhabi to Barcelona diverted to Madrid on September 9 because of adverse weather in Barcelona, while EY473 from Jakarta to Abu Dhabi was delayed for operational reasons. EY400 to Bangkok was also facing delays.
Passengers should check the status of their specific Etihad flight before travelling to Zayed International Airport.
Air Arabia Abu Dhabi
Several Air Arabia Abu Dhabi services were reporting delays, including flights to Tashkent, Tbilisi, Baku, Thiruvananthapuram, Cairo, Amman and Kuwait.
Affected services included 3L763, 3L714, 3L730, 3L248, 3L431, 3L032 and 3L020.
Emirates
Emirates services between Dubai and Bahrain and Kuwait were continuing, with EK837 and EK839 to Bahrain and EK857 to Kuwait scheduled to operate.
Passengers should nevertheless verify their flight status through Emirates' official channels before travelling, as schedules can change.
There were also some delays recorded at Dubai International Airport, including Emirates flight EK304 to Shanghai.
flydubai
flydubai services to Kuwait and Bahrain were operating as scheduled in the supplied update.
The airline has advised passengers departing Dubai to allow at least four hours before their flight, complete online check-in where available and check their flight status before leaving for Dubai International Airport.
Air Arabia
Air Arabia reported a mixture of cancellations and scheduled services between Sharjah and Bahrain and Kuwait.
Sharjah-Kuwait flights G9068 and G9124 were cancelled, while G9121 was scheduled. Sharjah-Bahrain flight G9107 was cancelled, while G9101 had departed and G9103 and G9105 were scheduled.
Airport delays
Dubai International Airport's flight-status information showed some morning delays, including flydubai FZ1211 to Tel Aviv and Emirates EK304 to Shanghai.
The information was recorded at 9.08am, meaning later services could have different operating statuses.
Travellers should therefore treat airport schedules as live information and check again close to departure rather than relying solely on an earlier status.
International airlines
A number of international carriers continue to operate UAE services, while others have extended suspensions.
Turkish Airlines has resumed Dubai and Abu Dhabi services, although flights to Iran remain suspended and further cancellations are possible.
Qatar Airways is operating multiple daily Dubai flights and has resumed services to Bahrain, Kuwait and Erbil. Its network has recovered to more than 160 destinations, around 85 per cent of its pre-war network, although delays remain possible.
Air India and Air India Express have restored their full GCC networks, together operating around 780 weekly flights between India and the region. IndiGo is operating selected Middle East services.
Other carriers continue to face restrictions. Air Canada has suspended Dubai services until mid-January 2027, while Virgin Atlantic's Dubai flights remain suspended until October 2027.
KLM has suspended Dubai, Riyadh and Dammam services until October 24 and continues to avoid the airspace of Iran, Iraq, Israel and parts of the Arabian Gulf.
Air France has suspended Dubai flights until September 15, while British Airways' Dubai and Abu Dhabi services remain suspended, with Dubai flights scheduled to resume on October 25 at reduced frequency.
Cathay Pacific has cancelled Dubai and Riyadh passenger flights through November 30. Singapore Airlines, ITA Airways, Finnair and AirBaltic have suspended Dubai services until October 24.
Philippine Airlines' Manila-Dubai service remains suspended until October 2, while Korean Air's Incheon-Dubai route is suspended until further notice. Pegasus services to Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah also remain suspended.
Lufthansa, Eurowings and SWISS have suspended Dubai services through October 24, although some other Middle East services are being restored.
Travel advisories
The UK has lifted broad restrictions advising against all but essential travel to major regional hubs including the UAE, Dubai and Abu Dhabi, according to the supplied update. However, the situation remains unpredictable and travellers should expect flight and airspace arrangements to change.
The US continues to place the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Oman at Level 3 – Reconsider Travel, citing risks associated with armed conflict, drone and missile interceptions and significant commercial flight disruption.
Australia has lowered its UAE 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.
Before you fly
Travellers flying from the UAE should:
- Check their individual flight status shortly before leaving for the airport.
- Arrive at least three hours before departure, unless their airline advises otherwise.
- Allow at least four hours when departing Dubai on flydubai.
- Complete online check-in where available.
- Allow additional time for traffic, check-in, security and immigration.
- Keep airline contact details updated for disruption notifications.
- Prepare for possible last-minute delays, cancellations or schedule changes.
- Follow the airline and airport's official websites and apps for the latest information.
The key advice for passengers remains the same: do not rely solely on the original booking confirmation. Check the latest operating status of the specific flight before setting out for the airport, particularly when travelling on routes affected by regional airspace restrictions.