flydubai cancels all flights to Iran, citing 'evolving situation'

Dubai: flydubai has cancelled all of its scheduled flights to Iran on Friday, January 9, as regional air travel continues to face uncertainty, the airline said in a statement.

flydubai told Gulf News, "Flights to Iran on January 9, 2026 have been cancelled. We are in direct contact with passengers whose travel plans have been affected. We will continue to monitor the situation closely and revise our flight schedule accordingly."

While no reason has been cited for flight cancellations from the UAE, Iran is experiencing one of its largest waves of protests in years, with demonstrations spreading across all 31 provinces, including major cities such as Tehran, Isfahan, Shiraz and Mashhad. The unrest began at the end of December and has continued into January 2026.

Iran's economy has been hit hard by tough international sanctions. And the protests were initially triggered by economic hardship, including soaring prices of food, medicine and daily essentials, massive inflation and a sharp depreciation of the Iranian rial.

Many Iranians are frustrated by declining living standards and deteriorating purchasing power. In response, the government has blocked internet and mobile networks nationwide, cutting off many forms of communication in what appears to be an effort to limit coordination and the spread of information.

The cancellations come amid broader disruption to flights operating to and from Iran, as airlines across the region reassess operations in response to changing conditions.