International Airlines Resume Limited Flights to Middle East After Week-Long Disruptions

Several international airlines have begun restoring limited flight operations to the Middle East following a week of disruptions triggered by Iran’s retaliatory attacks on US military bases in the Gulf region on February 28. Saudia announced a partial resumption of flights to and from Dubai starting March 7, with initial services between Riyadh-Dubai and Jeddah-Dubai.

Emirates has resumed operations, asking passengers with confirmed bookings to proceed to the airport. Air Arabia, Etihad Airways, SriLankan Airlines, Air India, Kenya Airways, Qatar Airways, and Flydubai have also announced varying levels of resumed or repatriation flights.

Qatar Airways is operating repatriation flights to London, Paris, Madrid, Rome, and Frankfurt, prioritizing stranded passengers with families, elderly travellers, and those with urgent medical needs. UAE authorities confirmed exceptional flight operations to enable stranded passengers to depart, while cautioning that these do not signal full resumption of scheduled commercial services.

Key Points

The partial resumption marks a cautious return to normalcy after airspace closures.
Repatriation flights prioritize vulnerable passengers as countries work to clear backlogs.
Airlines emphasize these are limited operations, not full schedule resumptions.
Multiple carriers across Asia, Europe, and Africa are coordinating with Gulf authorities.
Passengers are advised not to go to airports without confirmed bookings.

After a week of airspace closures and grounded flights, international carriers are slowly reopening Middle East corridors, prioritizing repatriation for stranded passengers while warning that full normalcy remains a distant horizon.

Sources: Airline Statements