Airlines Cautiously Resume Limited Middle East Services Amid Escalating Conflict
Several major airlines began resuming limited commercial operations to the Middle East on Tuesday, cautiously returning to the skies to evacuate thousands of passengers stranded by the escalating military conflict in the Gulf region. The disruption followed US-Israel strikes against Iran on February 28 and subsequent retaliatory drone and missile attacks by Iran targeting multiple Gulf countries.
Evacuation Flights Begin Amid Widespread Airspace Restrictions
Travelers stranded by the widening conflict began departing the United Arab Emirates on a limited number of evacuation flights on Monday, as most commercial air traffic across the Middle East remained suspended. The US State Department urgently advised its citizens in 13 countries including the UAE, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Lebanon and Oman to "depart now via commercial means due to serious safety risks."
However, sweeping airspace closures significantly reduced travel options across the region. Since Saturday, when the initial strikes and retaliatory attacks began, commercial flights have been either completely halted or heavily restricted, leaving tourists, business travelers, migrant workers and religious pilgrims stranded in hotels and airports throughout the Middle East.
Airspace Closures and Regional Restrictions
Airspace remained completely closed on Monday over Iran, Iraq and Israel, while Jordan imposed a temporary closure. Several other Gulf nations implemented partial or temporary restrictions:
- Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia implemented partial or temporary closures
- These restrictions could potentially be extended according to flight-tracking service Flightradar24
- Authorities warned travelers not to head to airports unless directly contacted by their airline with confirmed departure times
UAE Carriers Restart Limited Operations
Major UAE-based carriers cautiously resumed limited outbound services despite the challenging conditions:
- Etihad Airways operated at least 16 flights departing Abu Dhabi during a three-hour window on Monday, heading to destinations including Islamabad, Paris, Amsterdam, Mumbai, Moscow and London
- Emirates prioritized passengers with earlier bookings as it restarted select services Monday evening
- Flydubai operated four outbound and five inbound flights during the initial resumption phase
Dubai Airports confirmed a limited resumption of operations from both Dubai International (DXB) and Dubai World Central (DWC), but stressed that passengers should only travel to the airport if directly notified by their airline. Etihad Airways indicated that regularly scheduled commercial services would remain suspended until Wednesday afternoon.
Indian Airlines Step In for Repatriation Efforts
Indian carriers also began limited operations to help repatriate stranded passengers from the conflict zone:
- IndiGo announced it would operate four return flights to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia to "progressively normalise" operations
- Air India Express resumed services to Muscat in Oman from Tuesday
- Akasa Air announced select flights to Jeddah
- SpiceJet scheduled four special flights from Fujairah in the UAE specifically to repatriate stranded Indian citizens
Flights from Dubai and Abu Dhabi to major Indian cities including Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru resumed Monday night, bringing relief to thousands of stranded travelers. An Emirates flight from Dubai to Mumbai landed safely at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport on Tuesday amid tight coordination between airport authorities and airline officials.
Continued Disruptions Despite Partial Resumptions
Despite the partial reopening of Gulf airspace, significant flight disruptions continued on Tuesday across multiple international airports:
Delhi Airport: At least 80 international flights (36 departures and 44 arrivals) were cancelled at Indira Gandhi International Airport on Tuesday morning due to operational constraints linked to the escalating conflict. An Emirates flight (EK513) bound for Dubai returned to Delhi mid-air because of airspace restrictions, though flight EK512 from Dubai landed safely in the national capital later in the morning.
Kolkata Airport: At least 10 international flights were cancelled due to the ongoing tensions. Airlines including Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways and Air Arabia suspended services connecting the city with key West Asia destinations. These disruptions followed the suspension of at least 20 international flights at Kolkata airport on Monday amid the worsening regional situation.
Notable Passenger Returns Safely
Indian badminton star PV Sindhu safely returned to Bengaluru after being stranded in Dubai amid the escalating tensions between Israel and Iran. The two-time Olympic medallist shared her relief in a social media post, stating: "Back home in Bangalore and safe. The last few days have been intense and uncertain, but I'm truly grateful to be back to my house. A heartfelt thank you to the incredible ground teams, Dubai authorities, airport staff, immigration, and every single person who stepped up and took such good care of us during a very difficult time."
Far-Reaching Impact on Global Aviation
The disruption has had particularly significant consequences because Gulf airports serve as major global transit hubs connecting Europe, Africa and Asia. Dubai International Airport alone handled a record 95.2 million passengers last year, making it the world's busiest airport for international travel. The partial resumption of services represents a cautious step toward restoring normalcy, but airlines continue to operate under significant restrictions and uncertainty as the military situation in the region remains volatile.
