UAE travel disruption: Air India Express cancels Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah flights
Limited services continue as carriers plan dozens of West Asia flights
DUBAI – Air India and Air India Express have revised their flight operations to and from the United Arab Emirates for today after airport authorities directed carriers to curtail certain ad-hoc services.
Several flights operated by the low-cost arm, Air India Express, to multiple UAE destinations were cancelled as a result, while a limited number of services continue to operate subject to slot availability and prevailing airport conditions.
The airlines had earlier announced plans to operate dozens of flights across West Asia on the same day, including scheduled and additional non-scheduled services. However, operational changes later forced the curtailment of several UAE routes, particularly those operated on an ad-hoc basis.
UAE flight cancellations
According to the latest advisory, all Air India Express flights scheduled for March 15 to and from Abu Dhabi, Ras Al Khaimah, and Sharjah have been cancelled.
The airline said it was compelled to suspend these ad-hoc operations following instructions from UAE airport authorities.
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— India in UAE (@IndembAbuDhabi) March 15, 2026
Despite the cancellations, Air India Express is planning to operate one round trip on the Delhi–Dubai sector, connecting New Delhi with Dubai, though the service remains subject to slot availability and operational conditions at the time of departure.
Passengers booked on affected flights can rebook travel for a later date without additional charges or opt for a full refund.
Wider operations
Before the curtailment announcement, Air India and Air India Express had indicated that they would operate a combined total of 72 scheduled and non-scheduled flights to and from the West Asia region on March 15.
These included services connecting India with destinations in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Oman, operated with the necessary permissions from relevant Indian and regional aviation authorities.
The airlines had said that many of these flights would be operated as non-scheduled services, subject to slot approvals and operational conditions at departure airports.
Among the planned operations were services between India and Dubai, including multiple Air India flights from New Delhi and Mumbai, as well as Air India Express routes from Chennai, Bengaluru, Kochi, Kozhikode, and Mumbai.
Additional ad-hoc flights were also scheduled to operate to Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, and Ras Al Khaimah, connecting these UAE airports with Indian cities such as Kochi, Delhi, Mumbai, Kozhikode, Kannur, Bengaluru, and Thiruvananthapuram.
Regional routes
While several UAE services were affected by the latest changes, scheduled operations to other West Asian destinations remain in place.
Flights between India and Jeddah are continuing, with a total of eight services planned for March 15. Air India is operating one return service each from New Delhi and Mumbai, while Air India Express is operating flights from Bengaluru and Kozhikode.
Air India Express is also maintaining scheduled services between India and Muscat, operating 12 flights connecting Delhi, Kochi, Kozhikode, Mangaluru, Mumbai, and Thiruvananthapuram with the Omani capital.
Other planned ad-hoc services included routes to Riyadh, with flights from New Delhi and Kozhikode, though these too remain dependent on operational conditions and slot availability.
Passenger options
The Air India group said passengers booked on routes where scheduled services remain temporarily suspended can rebook travel for a later date without any additional charges or request a full refund.
Air India Express travellers departing from any UAE station have also been offered the option to rebook onto additional commercial flights operating from UAE airports to destinations across India.
The airlines are contacting affected passengers through the mobile numbers registered with their bookings to provide updated travel options and rebooking assistance. Guests are advised to ensure their contact details are current so they can receive these notifications.
Passengers with Air India Express bookings can also manage rebooking through the airline’s AI-powered digital assistant Tia, available via WhatsApp.
Meanwhile, long-haul operations of the Air India group to destinations in North America, Europe, Australia and other international regions are continuing as scheduled. The airline group said it is exploring opportunities to operate additional ad-hoc flights to and from destinations in West Asia depending on operational feasibility and regulatory approvals.