UAE airports remain operational, though some flights continue to face delays and cancellations.
Dubai: Several flights operating from Dubai International Airport and Abu Dhabi’s Zayed International Airport faced delays on Monday morning, while some services by UAE and international airlines were cancelled as ongoing regional geopolitical tensions continued to disrupt flight schedules.
Passengers travelling from the UAE on Monday are advised to check the latest status of their flights directly with their airline before heading to the airport, as schedules may change at short notice.
US-Iran war, regional escalation
Regional tensions remain elevated, with Iran saying the Strait of Hormuz will remain “closed” until the United States meets seven conditions. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, meanwhile, said there was “no military solution” to the conflict.
The Pentagon also confirmed that all US B-1 bombers had been withdrawn from RAF Fairford following a security incident in the area.
Maritime security concerns have also intensified. The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported that a tanker had been struck in the Strait of Hormuz, while another vessel off the coast of Yemen reported multiple explosions.
Despite the disruption, Middle East oil exports excluding Iran climbed above pre-war levels last week, according to maritime tracking firm Kpler, even as attacks on vessels in and around the Strait of Hormuz continued.
Oil prices also remained elevated, with Brent crude rising above $102 a barrel and Murban reaching $110.
Global jet fuel prices, however, moved lower last week. According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the global average jet fuel price fell 4.9 per cent from the previous week to $185.43 a barrel.
Dubai, Abu Dhabi airport updates
Several flights departing from Dubai International Airport (DXB) and Abu Dhabi’s Zayed International Airport (AUH) faced delays on Monday morning.
At DXB, delays affected services operated by Emirates, SpiceJet, Air India Express and other carriers, while several flights were cancelled.
Cancelled from DXB
- SpiceJet SG052 from Dubai to Pune
- flydubai and Arkia services to Tel Aviv
- flydubai FZ969 from Dubai to Moscow Vnukovo
- flydubai FZ1335 from Dubai to Bangkok
Delayed from DXB
- Emirates EK151 from Dubai to Copenhagen
- SpiceJet SG5106 from Dubai to New Delhi
- SpiceJet SG5023 from Dubai to Mumbai
- Air India Express IX612 from Dubai to Tiruchirappally
At Zayed International Airport, Air Arabia flight 3L032 from Abu Dhabi to Amman was also delayed.
What UAE and regional airlines are doing
Etihad Airways
Etihad Airways reported no major disruptions, although several individual services experienced delays.
Flights to Bahrain were operating as scheduled, while services from Abu Dhabi to Kuwait, Dammam and Riyadh faced delays. Flight EY727 to Addis Ababa was also delayed.
Passengers are advised to check the latest flight information directly with Etihad before travelling to the airport.
Emirates
Emirates flights to Bahrain and Kuwait were operating as scheduled, although some early-morning services experienced minor delays.
Travellers are advised to check their flight status with Emirates before heading to Dubai International Airport, as schedules remain subject to change.
flydubai
flydubai flight FZ815 from Dubai to Abha was cancelled.
The airline is advising passengers departing from Dubai to arrive at least four hours before their scheduled departure, complete online check-in where available and confirm their latest flight status before travelling to the airport.
flydubai has also suspended services to Israel following the FZ1073 cockpit incident. Emirates has suspended its codeshare services operated by flydubai to and from Tel Aviv until further notice.
Air Arabia
Air Arabia has cancelled several services from Sharjah, including:
- G9068/G9069: Sharjah-Kuwait
- G9124/G9125: Sharjah-Kuwait
- G9107: Sharjah-Bahrain
- G9070/G9071: Sharjah-Gassim
- G9341/G9342: Sharjah-Chattogram
- G9040/G9041: Sharjah-Doha
Passengers are advised to check their flight status before travelling, as schedules may change at short notice.
Iranian airlines
Iranian carriers are facing increasing regional restrictions following US sanctions.
Flights to Baghdad, Najaf, Erbil and Sulaimaniyah have been halted, while suspensions have also been reported on services involving Oman, Georgia and Azerbaijan.
The UAE has suspended all Iranian airline services to and from the country until further notice, preventing carriers including Iran Airtour from operating flights to or from Dubai International Airport.
What international travel advisories are saying
UK: The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has removed its broader warning against all but essential travel to the UAE. However, travellers are still being advised of the possibility of flight cancellations and disruption to regional airspace.
US: The UAE remains under a Level 3 – Reconsider Travel advisory, with US authorities citing risks related to terrorism, armed conflict and disruption to commercial flights.
Australia: Travellers are advised to reconsider their need to travel to the UAE due to the unpredictable regional security situation and the possibility of further airspace closures.
Canada: Canadian authorities are advising travellers to exercise a high degree of caution when visiting the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar.
Europe: The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has extended the validity of its conflict-zone information bulletin until November 16, 2026, advising flight operators to avoid the airspace of the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia: Saudi airports have said the country’s airspace remains open, although flight operations continue to be affected by ongoing regional developments. Passengers travelling to impacted destinations are advised to confirm their flight status directly with their airline before heading to the airport.
What international carriers are saying
Some international airlines are beginning to restore services to the UAE, while others continue to suspend or adjust flights amid the regional security situation.
Air Astana: The airline resumed services from Almaty and Astana to Dubai on October 1 and 2, respectively.
Philippine Airlines: Dubai-Manila services have resumed, with bookings available from October 5.
Lufthansa Group: Services to Dubai are set to resume gradually from late October, with the group planning to operate up to 36 weekly flights at peak operation.
Lufthansa Group’s planned Dubai schedule includes:
- Munich-Dubai: Five weekly flights from October 25, operated by an Airbus A350-900.
- Frankfurt-Dubai: Four weekly flights from October 26, increasing to five per week from November 9, operated by an Airbus A340-300.
- SWISS Zurich-Dubai: Daily services from October 27, operated by an Airbus A340-300.
- Austrian Airlines Vienna-Dubai: Five weekly flights from December 12, operated by an Airbus A320neo.
- Eurowings Berlin-Dubai: Daily flights from November 1.
- Eurowings Stuttgart-Dubai: Four weekly flights from November 1.
- Eurowings Cologne/Bonn-Dubai: Three weekly flights from November 3.
Wizz Air: Dubai services are expected to resume from October 24-25, while flights to Abu Dhabi are scheduled to return around late October.
Singapore Airlines: Flights SQ494 from Singapore to Dubai and SQ495 from Dubai to Singapore have been cancelled until December 1. Other services could also be affected.
British Airways: Dubai services are scheduled to resume on November 3, while flights to Abu Dhabi remain suspended until the winter 2027-28 season.
Air France: Services to and from Dubai and Riyadh remain suspended through October 24, with the airline continuing to monitor developments across the region.
Cathay Pacific: Passenger services to Dubai and Riyadh have been cancelled through January 31, 2027. Affected passengers will be offered options to rebook, reroute their journey or request a refund.
Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian Airlines and Edelweiss have also suspended services to Abu Dhabi through October 24. Eurowings flights to Abu Dhabi remain suspended through the same date, with no specific resumption date announced.
What travellers should keep in mind
- Check your individual flight status before leaving home, even if your booking has already been confirmed.
- Arrive at least three hours before departure, or earlier if advised by your airline.
- Passengers flying with flydubai from Dubai should allow at least four hours before departure, in line with the airline’s guidance.
- Complete online check-in in advance where available.
- Allow extra time for road traffic, check-in, security and immigration procedures.
- Make sure your contact details are up to date with the airline so you can receive disruption alerts.
- Be prepared for last-minute delays, cancellations or changes to flight schedules.
- Monitor official airline and airport channels for the latest information before travelling.
