UAE flights: Emirates, Etihad, Air Arabia and flydubai delays and cancellations as Air France extends Dubai suspension
Cathay Pacific extends Dubai and Riyadh flight suspension as regional tensions persist
Delays have been reported at both Dubai International Airport and Zayed International Airport, while several international carriers maintain or extend suspensions.
Emirates and flydubai are operating key Bahrain and Kuwait routes, while Etihad reports mostly normal services to those destinations. Air Arabia has cancelled several Kuwait and Bahrain flights.
Air France has extended its Dubai flight suspension through September 8, while Cathay Pacific has extended its Dubai and Riyadh cancellations through November 30.
This update includes flight cancellations, delays and schedule changes reported by airlines and airports. Not all of these disruptions are related to the conflict or regional security situation; some may be due to operational, technical or other reasons.
War status
The US-Iran conflict remains a key factor for regional aviation, with the security situation continuing to affect flight schedules and airspace operations.
US President Donald Trump has warned that the United States could strike Iran’s heavily fortified underground nuclear facility known as Pickaxe Mountain “very soon”, days after Washington targeted Iranian military sites.
The US has also approved a proposed $5 billion arms sale to Saudi Arabia amid regional attacks. Meanwhile, the US, UK, France and Germany are pushing a draft resolution that could refer Iran to the UN Security Council over its nuclear obligations.
Etihad Airways
Etihad’s services between Abu Dhabi and Bahrain and Kuwait are mostly operating normally, with no major cancellations reported on those routes.
Delays on September 5
EY299, MS8419 Abu Dhabi to Karachi
EY213 Abu Dhabi to Delhi
EY277 Abu Dhabi to Peshawar
EY331 Abu Dhabi to Kochi
Several flights have been affected by operational, technical or airport-related issues on September 4:
Flights to Manila were delayed for operational reasons.
An Abu Dhabi-Jeddah service diverted to Medina because of an airport closure in Jeddah.
Flights to Sochi and the return service were cancelled following an airport closure.
Flights to Warsaw and Milan were delayed because of a technical issue.
Passengers should check Etihad’s official channels for the latest flight information before travelling to the airport.
Air Arabia Abu Dhabi
Several Air Arabia Abu Dhabi flights from Abu Dhabi were delayed in the morning.
Affected destinations included:
Cairo
Kochi
Thiruvananthapuram
Ahmedabad
Calicut
Sialkot
Multan
Other regional destinations
Passengers should confirm their flight status directly with Air Arabia before departure.
Emirates
Emirates services on key Gulf routes were scheduled to operate:
EK837: Dubai to Bahrain
EK839: Dubai to Bahrain
EK857: Dubai to Kuwait
Passengers have been advised to check Emirates’ official website and other airline channels for the latest updates, as schedules may change at short notice.
flydubai
flydubai flights to Kuwait and Bahrain are operating as scheduled.
The airline is advising passengers departing from Dubai to:
Arrive at least four hours before departure.
Complete online check-in where available.
Check their flight status before leaving for the airport.
Allow extra time for traffic, check-in, security and immigration.
Air Arabia
Air Arabia has cancelled the following flights:
G9068: Sharjah to Kuwait
G9124: Sharjah to Kuwait
G9107: Sharjah to Bahrain
3L020: Abu Dhabi to Kuwait
Passengers affected by cancellations should contact Air Arabia for rebooking and refund information.
Delays at Dubai International Airport
Delays were also recorded on several services at Dubai International Airport, including:
Emirates flights to Brisbane and Kochi
Ariana Afghan Airlines flight to Kabul
SpiceJet flights to Mumbai, New Delhi, Jaipur, Kozhikode and Kochi
Passengers should check with their airline before travelling to the airport, even if their flight was previously confirmed.
Note: The cancellations and delays listed above may have different causes. Some may be linked to the wider regional situation, while others may be due to operational or technical reasons.
Regional situation
Across the wider region, several international carriers are restoring services while continuing to monitor airspace and security conditions.
Turkish Airlines has resumed Dubai and Abu Dhabi services but continues to suspend flights to Iran. Qatar Airways is operating multiple daily Dubai flights and has resumed services to Bahrain, Kuwait and Erbil, although delays remain possible.
Air India and Air India Express have restored their full GCC networks, while IndiGo is operating selected Middle East services. flynas is operating daily flights to Dubai, Doha and Bahrain, and Jazeera Airways is operating selected services including Dubai.
Ukraine continues to warn airlines about flying over Russian airspace, with many Central Asian, European airlines cancelling flights.
What international travel advisories are saying
UK: The UK's Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office has lifted its broad “against all but essential travel” warning for major regional hubs including the UAE, Kuwait and Qatar. However, it continues to warn that the situation is unpredictable, with possible flight delays and sudden airspace changes.
US: The US has placed the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Oman at Level 3 — “Reconsider Travel” — citing risks linked to armed conflict, drone and missile interceptions and significant commercial flight disruption. Non-emergency US government staff and their families were ordered to leave the UAE.
Australia: Australia's travel advice for the UAE has been downgraded from Level 4, “Do Not Travel”, to Level 3, “Reconsider Your Need to Travel”.
Canada: Canada continues to advise travellers to exercise a “high degree of caution” in the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar. It also advises travellers to keep documents up to date and maintain sufficient supplies in case they need to shelter in place if commercial flights are suspended.
What international carriers are saying
International airlines are gradually restoring services to the UAE, but schedules remain mixed. Some carriers are operating normally, others are running reduced frequencies and several continue to suspend Dubai and Abu Dhabi services.
Turkish Airlines: Dubai and Abu Dhabi services have resumed. Flights to Iran remain suspended, with further cancellations possible as the airline monitors regional airspace.
Qatar Airways: Multiple daily Dubai flights are operating, while services to Bahrain, Kuwait and Erbil have also resumed. Delays remain possible. The airline says its network has recovered to more than 160 destinations, around 85 per cent of its pre-war network.
Air India and Air India Express: Both carriers have restored their full GCC networks, with around 780 weekly flights between India and the region. Regional airspace closures could still affect operations.
IndiGo: Selected Middle East services are operating as the airline continues to monitor the regional situation and regulatory guidance.
flynas: Daily services to Dubai, Doha and Bahrain are operating, alongside flights to destinations including Germany, Sri Lanka and the Philippines.
Jazeera Airways: Selected services, including flights to Dubai, are operating, although intermittent closures of Kuwait International Airport and its airspace could still cause disruption.
UAE routes still suspended
Air France: Flights to and from Dubai are suspended through September 8, inclusive, as the airline monitors the evolving security situation. The carrier has resumed services to Tel Aviv and Riyadh, while Beirut flights remain suspended through September 13.
Cathay Pacific: All passenger flights to Dubai and Riyadh have been suspended through November 30 because of regional security developments.
British Airways: Dubai and Abu Dhabi services remain suspended. Dubai flights are scheduled to resume on October 25 at reduced frequency.
Singapore Airlines: Singapore-Dubai flights remain suspended until October 24.
ITA Airways: Dubai services are suspended until October 24.
Finnair: Helsinki-Dubai flights are suspended until October 24.
Philippine Airlines: Manila-Dubai flights are suspended until October 2.
AirBaltic: Dubai flights are suspended until October 24.
Korean Air: Incheon-Dubai flights remain suspended until further notice.
Pegasus: Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah services are suspended.
Virgin Atlantic: London-Dubai flights remain suspended for the foreseeable future.
Lufthansa, Eurowings and SWISS: Dubai services remain suspended through October 24 for operational reasons. Eurowings plans to resume Dubai flights from November 1.
Air Canada: Suspended Dubai services until mid-January 2027.
What can travellers keep in mind
For UAE passengers travelling today, the most important point is to check the status of the specific flight before leaving for the airport, even if it was previously confirmed.
Travellers should:
Arrive at least three hours before departure, or earlier if advised by the airline.
Allow four hours when flying from Dubai with flydubai, in line with the airline's guidance.
Complete online check-in where available.
Allow extra time for traffic, check-in, security and immigration.
Keep contact details updated with the airline to receive disruption alerts.
Be prepared for last-minute delays, cancellations or schedule changes.
Follow official airline and airport channels for the latest information.
Flight status alert: Check your airline’s official website or app for the latest updates before travelling.
