Middle East crisis: UAE rolls out special flights to ease passenger backlog

AUTHORITIES in the United Arab Emirates have begun implementing special flight arrangements to assist travellers stranded by the recent spike in regional hostilities. The UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) confirmed that selected services were being organised across the country’s airports to facilitate departures for affected passengers.

The disruption followed the temporary closure of the UAE’s airspace after Iran carried out retaliatory missile strikes on United States military facilities in the region. In the aftermath, several carriers suspended services, including Qatar Airways, which halted all flights as tensions escalated.

Airport activity across the UAE was severely impacted. Dubai Airports suspended operations indefinitely at the height of the crisis, while multiple international airlines paused routes to and from Middle Eastern destinations due to security concerns.

Providing an update on Monday, the aviation regulator stated that the exceptional flights would operate according to revised timetables to be shared directly by airlines with impacted customers and destination authorities.

The GCAA appealed to passengers not to head to airports unless they had been formally notified of new departure details by their respective airlines, stressing that the directive was intended to minimise congestion and ensure orderly processing as services gradually resume.

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Later in the day, Dubai Airports announced a limited restart of activities beginning Monday evening. A small number of departures were scheduled from Dubai International Airport (DXB) and Dubai World Central – Al Maktoum International Airport. Travellers were advised to await direct communication from their airlines before proceeding to either airport.

In Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi Airports confirmed that operations had partially resumed at Zayed International Airport (AUH), following coordination with relevant authorities and airline partners. Passengers departing from or connecting through the airport were similarly urged to check their flight status in advance.

Meanwhile, Dubai-based carrier Emirates said it would operate a restricted schedule from Monday evening, prioritising travellers with earlier reservations. The airline noted that only customers who received direct confirmation should travel to the airport.

Low-cost airline Flydubai also indicated it would run a limited number of evening services as efforts continue to restore stability to the UAE’s aviation network.