Middle East Airlines Resume Operations Amid Regional Conflict
Following days of airspace closures due to ongoing regional conflict, several Middle East operators have resumed operations, albeit at a limited scale.
UAE-based operators Etihad Airways, Emirates, flydubai, and Air Arabia have restarted a “reduced” commercial schedule as early as March 6th, after the partial reopening of UAE airspace. However, Qatar has continued to shut its airspace, leaving Qatar Airways as the only major carrier from the Gulf region with suspended operations.
Limited Resumption of Flights by UAE-based Operators
On March 6th, Etihad announced that it had resumed “limited” commercial flights from its Abu Dhabi hub to a few “key destinations”. The decision was made in coordination with relevant authorities after extensive safety and security assessments. The airline continues to monitor the situation closely and will only operate flights once all safety criteria are met. The current schedule shows flights operating between March 6th and 19th, with further updates to come. Cities include Singapore, London, Sydney, Jakarta, Beijing, New York, Delhi, and Toronto.
Similarly, Emirates has resumed part of its vast global operations, flying from Dubai to cities like Sydney, Auckland, Bangkok, London, Chicago, and Johannesburg. However, customers transiting in Dubai will only be accepted for travel if their connecting flight is operating.
Flydubai and Air Arabia have also confirmed their partial resumption of flights. Flydubai will operate flights from Dubai, while Air Arabia will operate from Sharjah, Abu Dhabi, and Ras Al Khaimah.
Qatar Airways Continues Suspension of Commercial Operations
On March 8th, Qatar Airways confirmed that its commercial operations remain suspended due to the closure of Qatari airspace. However, the airline has been cleared to operate a series of repatriation flights for passengers affected by the current disruption. These special charters will operate to London, Delhi, Frankfurt, Manila, and Perth on March 9th and 10th. The airline has made it clear that these flights do not constitute a confirmation of the resumption of scheduled commercial operations.
Cancelled Flights at Key Middle East Hubs
Data from aviation analytics company Cirium shows that flight cancellation rates are the highest at airports in Doha, Bahrain, and Kuwait City, reflecting airspace closures. In contrast, the percentage of cancelled flights at UAE airports like Dubai and Abu Dhabi are trending downwards. As of March 8th, Dubai’s cancelled flights make up around 44% of all scheduled flights, according to Cirium data.
Foreign Carriers Remain Cautious
While Gulf carriers are slowly rebuilding their networks, foreign carriers have remained cautious in their operational restart. Singapore Airlines, for instance, continues to suspend operations to Dubai until March 15th. Its low-cost unit Scoot has also suspended flights to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia until March 10th.