Emirates grounds Dubai-Madagascar flights
Passengers urged to rebook and stay alert for flight updates
DUBAI – Emirates has suspended its services between Dubai, Seychelles and Madagascar’s capital, Antananarivo, following a surge of civil unrest and a military mutiny in the island nation.
The airline confirmed that flights EK707 and EK708 operating the Dubai-Antananarivo route via Seychelles have been cancelled until further notice.
In an official statement, Emirates cited the “security situation in Madagascar” as the reason behind the cancellations. The airline said passengers affected by the suspension will be rebooked and notified through the contact details registered on their bookings.
Passenger advisory
Customers planning to travel to Madagascar have been urged not to proceed to the airport and to check the Manage Your Booking section on the Emirates website for real-time updates. The airline stated that passengers with final destinations in Antananarivo will not be accepted for travel from their points of origin until the situation stabilises.
The airline has not indicated when flights might resume but said updates will be issued once operations can safely restart.
Other carriers have followed suit. Air France announced the suspension of its Paris-Antananarivo flights until at least 13th October, while Air Austral halted services between Reunion Island and Madagascar on Saturday, maintaining only limited flights thereafter.
Unrest in Madagascar
The disruptions follow reports of an army unit near Antananarivo mutinying on Sunday, claiming control of Madagascar’s armed forces. The move came after weeks of youth-led demonstrations demanding the resignation of President Andry Rajoelina over alleged corruption and governance failures. The presidency denounced the mutiny as an “illegal and forcible attempt to seize power.”
The United Nations reported at least 22 deaths and dozens injured during the protests, though the government has disputed the figures. The ongoing unrest has paralysed daily life in the capital and disrupted transport links across the island.