After days of uncertainty, travellers across the UAE are finally seeing some movement in the skies again. Following the recent regional escalations that forced widespread flight suspensions, the country’s airspace has partially reopened, allowing a limited number of commercial flights to resume. Now, UAE airlines have rolled out a range of rebooking options and refund policies to help travellers manage cancellations and delays. If your flight was affected, here’s what you need to know.
Also Read: Emergency Air Corridors Explained: Flight Prices & Everything You Need To Know
Limited Flights Resume From UAE Airports
The UAE’s airspace is gradually reopening, with authorities confirming that select flights have resumed. Several Emirates aircraft departed Dubai on 6 March, for cities including Jeddah, Manchester, London, Paris and Frankfurt.
While some services have resumed, operations remain limited. Travellers are advised to monitor updates closely and wait for direct confirmation from airlines before heading to the airport. To help affected passengers navigate the disruptions, UAE carriers have also issued specific guidelines for rebooking flights or requesting refunds.
Etihad Airways Rebooking And Refund Policy
Etihad Airways has extended its suspension of commercial flights to and from Abu Dhabi until 2 PM on Thursday, 5 March. The airline has asked passengers not to come to the airport unless specifically instructed, in order to avoid congestion while operations remain restricted. Passengers who purchased tickets on or before 28 February for travel up to 10 March are eligible to rebook their flights free of charge on Etihad-operated services until 31 March 2026.
Travellers scheduled to fly before March 10 can also request a full refund through the airline’s online refund form or through their travel agent if the booking was made via an agency. They have also encouraged passengers to regularly check their flight status and ensure their contact information is up to date so they can receive the latest notifications.
Emirates Begins Limited Services
Emirates has also restarted a small number of flights as part of the phased reopening. The airline confirmed that passengers with earlier bookings will be prioritised for these limited services. Travellers who are successfully rebooked will be contacted directly by Emirates. Those who have not received confirmation have been strongly advised not to travel to the airport.
For rebooking, passengers can move their ticket to another flight to the same destination for travel on or before 20 March, subject to availability. Customers who booked through travel agents should contact their agents directly, while those who booked with Emirates can contact the airline. If you purchased tickets directly before 10 March, you may also apply for refunds using the airline’s online refund form.
flydubai Flight Updates
flydubai has also resumed a small number of flights, with schedules continuing to change as the situation evolves. The airline confirmed that limited services restarted on 3 March from Terminals 2 and 3 at Dubai International Airport.
Passengers scheduled to travel within the next 72 hours can rebook an alternative flight to the same destination free of charge for travel up to 20 days from the original date. Travellers can make these changes through the ‘Manage Your Booking’ section on flydubai’s website, by contacting the airline’s call centre, by visiting a flydubai travel shop, or by speaking with their travel agent.
Air Arabia Options For Cancelled Flights
Air Arabia has temporarily suspended most flights to and from the UAE until Monday, 9 March at 3 PM. Although a limited number of services are still operating, subject to safety and operational approvals. Travellers are advised to check their flight status before heading to the airport. Those passengers whose flights were cancelled can choose from several options:
- One free date change within 15 days
- A full credit voucher for future travel
- A full refund to the original form of payment
Emirates Begins Limited Flights To 82 Destinations
Emirates has also shared a list of cities it expects to operate flights to and from Dubai as services gradually resume. The airline said the destinations form part of its limited schedule for 5 & 6 March, following the partial reopening of UAE airspace.
Africa
- Abidjan (ABJ)
- Accra (ACC)
- Cape Town (CPT)
- Harare (HRE)
- Johannesburg (JNB)
- Lusaka (LUN)
- Nairobi (NBO)
Americas
- Chicago (ORD)
- Dallas Fort Worth (DFW)
- Mexico City (MEX)
- New York (JFK)
- Newark (EWR) – via Athens
- San Francisco (SFO)
- Sao Paulo (GRU)
- Toronto (YYZ)
Europe
- Amsterdam (AMS)
- Athens (ATH)
- Barcelona (BCN)
- Birmingham (BHX)
- Budapest (BUD)
- Dublin (DUB)
- Düsseldorf (DUS)
- Edinburgh (EDI)
- Frankfurt (FRA)
- Hamburg (HAM)
- Istanbul (IST)
- Lisbon (LIS)
- London Gatwick (LGW)
- London Heathrow (LHR)
- Madrid (MAD)
- Manchester (MAN)
- Milan (MXP)
- Moscow (DME)
- Munich (MUC)
- Paris (CDG)
- Prague (PRG)
- Rome (FCO)
- St. Petersburg (LED)
- Vienna (VIE)
- Warsaw (WAW)
- Zurich (ZRH)
Middle East & North Africa
- Cairo (CAI)
- Casablanca (CMN)
- Jeddah (JED)
- Medina (MED)
Far East & Australasia
- Auckland (AKL)
- Bali (DPS)
- Bangkok (BKK)
- Beijing (PEK)
- Christchurch (CHC) – via Sydney
- Guangzhou (CAN)
- Tokyo Haneda (HND)
- Hanoi (HAN)
- Ho Chi Minh City (SGN)
- Hong Kong (HKG)
- Jakarta (CGK)
- Kuala Lumpur (KUL)
- Manila (MNL)
- Melbourne (MEL)
- Perth (PER)
- Phuket (HKT)
- Seoul (ICN)
- Shanghai (PVG)
- Siem Reap (SAI) – via Bangkok
- Singapore (SIN)
- Sydney (SYD)
- Taipei (TPE)
West Asia & Indian Ocean Islands
- Ahmedabad (AMD)
- Bengaluru (BLR)
- Chennai (MAA)
- Colombo (CMB)
- Delhi (DEL)
- Dhaka (DAC)
- Hyderabad (HYD)
- Islamabad (ISB)
- Karachi (KHI)
- Kochi (COK)
- Lahore (LHE)
- Male (MLE)
- Mauritius (MRU)
- Mumbai (BOM)
- Thiruvananthapuram (TRV)
While operations across the UAE remain fluid, flight schedules may change at any given notice as airlines continue to monitor the evolving situation. Travellers should keep checking their airline notifications and official updates before driving down to the airport. Keep refreshing Gulf Buzz for all the live updates and travel advise!
