Passengers flying from the UAE are facing a mixed picture of operating, delayed and cancelled flights as regional airspace disruption continues following the latest escalation between the US and Iran.

While UAE carriers including Emirates, Etihad Airways and flydubai continue to operate key services, several flights have been delayed, cancelled or diverted. A number of major international airlines have also suspended services to Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Travellers are being urged to check their individual flight status before leaving for the airport, as schedules remain subject to change at short notice.

The latest disruption follows an escalation in regional tensions after US forces struck Iranian military targets on September 1, followed by Iranian missile and drone attacks targeting American interests in Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan.

Etihad Airways: Delays and diversions

Etihad Airways has advised passengers to check their flight status before travelling.

The airline reported:

• EY239 Bengaluru–Abu Dhabi: Delayed due to a technical issue
• EY446 Abu Dhabi–Manila: Diverted due to an airport closure
• EY447 Manila–Abu Dhabi: Expected to be delayed
• EY083 Abu Dhabi–Rome: Delayed for operational reasons

Services including EY641 and EY645 to Bahrain and EY653 to Kuwait are operating.

Emirates: Some cancellations and delays

Emirates has cancelled its EK945 Dubai–Basra service, while flights including EK087 Dubai–Zurich and EK029 Dubai–London Heathrow have been delayed.

However, Emirates services to Bahrain and Kuwait, including EK837, EK839 and EK857, are operating.

flydubai and Air Arabia

flydubai has advised passengers departing Dubai to arrive at least four hours before departure, complete online check-in where possible and monitor their flight status.

Air Arabia has cancelled several services, including flights between Sharjah and Kuwait, Sharjah and Bahrain, and Abu Dhabi and Kuwait.

Other Dubai departures have also been affected, with cancellations reported on routes including Pune and Jeddah, while several flights to Indian cities, including Mumbai, Amritsar, Jaipur, Kozhikode, Kochi and New Delhi, have been delayed.

Which international airlines are operating?

Several major carriers have resumed or continue operating selected UAE services.

Turkish Airlines has resumed Dubai and Abu Dhabi flights, while Qatar Airways is operating multiple daily Dubai services and has also restored flights to Bahrain, Kuwait and Erbil.

Air France has resumed Dubai services, while Air India and Air India Express have restored their GCC networks. Selected Middle East services are also operating with IndiGo, flynas and Jazeera Airways.

However, delays and last-minute changes remain possible.

Which airlines are still suspended?

A significant number of international carriers continue to suspend or reduce UAE operations.

Air Canada has suspended Dubai services until mid-January 2027, while British Airways has paused Dubai and Abu Dhabi flights, with Dubai services scheduled to resume at reduced frequency from October 25.

Other carriers with Dubai services suspended include Cathay Pacific, Singapore Airlines, ITA Airways, Finnair, airBaltic, Korean Air, Pegasus, Virgin Atlantic, Lufthansa, SWISS and Eurowings.

KLM has also suspended Dubai flights through October 24.

Philippine Airlines has extended its Dubai suspension until October 2.

What UAE travellers should do?

Passengers flying from Dubai or Abu Dhabi should check their flight status directly with their airline before leaving home — even if the flight was previously confirmed.

Travellers should also:

• Arrive early, particularly when flying from Dubai
• Complete online check-in where available
• Allow extra time for road traffic, check-in, security and immigration
• Keep airline contact details updated to receive disruption alerts
• Be prepared for last-minute delays, cancellations or schedule changes

With regional airspace conditions continuing to change, airline schedules could be updated with little notice.