Little relief for stranded passengers as Gulf airspace closures continue

There was little relief for thousands of stranded passengers across the Gulf on Tuesday as sweeping airspace closures and mass flight cancellations continued to paralyse one of the world’s busiest aviation corridors.

Despite limited repatriation services and special relief flights, uncertainty persists over when normal operations will resume, leaving expatriates, tourists and transit passengers stuck in key hub cities such as Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi.

Airlines across the region have either suspended services or sharply curtailed operations following escalating regional tensions and intermittent airspace shutdowns. 

Emirates scheduled flights remain suspended

In a statement, Emirates confirmed that all scheduled flights to and from Dubai remain suspended until 23:59 hrs UAE time on March 4 due to continuing airspace closures across the region.

The airline said it is operating a limited number of passenger repatriation and freighter flights on March 3 and 4, prioritising customers with earlier bookings.

“Please do not go to the airport unless you have been notified directly by Emirates, or hold a confirmed booking for these flights,” the airline advised, adding that it continues to monitor developments before finalising subsequent schedules.

Emirates also confirmed that flights originating from Delhi, Chennai and Bengaluru on the evening of March 2 returned to India shortly after take-off in line with air traffic control instructions linked to the closures. Affected passengers are being rescheduled and accommodated in hotels.

Etihad Airways said its all scheduled commercial flights to and from Abu Dhabi remain suspended until 14:00 UAE time on Thursday,  March 5.  Some repositioning, cargo and repatriation flights may operate in coordination with UAE authorities and subject to strict operational and safety approvals. 

Indian carriers launch limited relief services

Indian carriers have cautiously stepped in to assist stranded travellers. Air India operated the first batch of passengers from Dubai to Delhi under special arrangements.

Other operators — IndiGo, Air India Express, SpiceJet and Akasa Air — announced plans to operate special services between Indian cities and Gulf destinations, subject to regulatory and operational clearances.

However, aviation sources indicated that these limited flights are insufficient to clear the mounting backlog created over several days of disruption.

Expats in limbo

The Gulf’s position as a global aviation hub has amplified the impact. Millions of expatriates rely on its airports as connecting gateways to Europe, North America, Africa and Asia. With onward flights cancelled or indefinitely postponed, transit passengers have been particularly affected.

Airfares on the few operational routes have surged, confirmed seats are scarce, and many passengers report being rebooked multiple times as schedules shift daily.

Hotel stay frictions

Adding to the distress, some smaller hotels have reportedly refused to extend stays despite government directives mandating support for stranded guests.

The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi had instructed hotels across the emirate to allow stranded guests to extend their stay, with the government stepping in to cover additional costs in certain cases. Dubai authorities have issued similar directions.

Travellers, however, say compliance has been uneven, particularly among budget properties.

Uncertain outlook

The outlook for normal air travel remains uncertain as the broader war involving the United States, Israel and Iran continues to escalate, keeping Gulf skies unsafe for routine civilian flights.