Planes are landing and taking off at Dubai and Abu Dhabi, but Monday morning was a reminder that an open airport is not the same as an on-time flight. Some early departures ran late at both hubs, and a handful of regional services were cancelled as airlines continue to adjust against a backdrop of regional tension.
The wider picture is a recovery that is real but uneven. Emirates and flydubai are restoring capacity, foreign carriers are returning on staggered timelines, and government travel advisories are easing, though not everywhere.
What Monday looked like at the airports
Airport websites showed little disruption at Dubai International (DXB) and Zayed International in Abu Dhabi. Flight-tracking data showed some early-morning departures running behind schedule, Gulf News reported. Both airports continue to tell passengers to check with their airlines, because timetables can shift with little warning as the regional situation changes.
Where the cancellations are
The disruption is concentrated on routes to Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Kuwait. Etihad has largely kept those services running. Its Abu Dhabi–Dammam and Abu Dhabi–Jeddah flights were delayed, while services to Riyadh, Al Qassim and Medina operated normally. Emirates had its Bahrain and Kuwait flights on the schedule.
The low-cost carriers took more of the hit. flydubai cancelled a Dubai–Bahrain service and a Dubai–Yanbu flight, and advised passengers leaving Dubai to allow at least four hours before departure. Air Arabia cancelled several Sharjah–Kuwait and Sharjah–Bahrain flights, along with an Abu Dhabi–Kuwait service. Not every cancellation is tied to regional events. Some may reflect ordinary technical or operational problems.
Foreign airlines return in stages
Several international carriers are back. Turkish Airlines has resumed Dubai and Abu Dhabi flights, although its Iran services remain suspended. Qatar Airways is running multiple daily Dubai flights and says its network has recovered to more than 160 destinations, roughly 85 per cent of its pre-war size. Air India and Air India Express have restored their full GCC networks, about 780 weekly flights between India and the region.
Others are staying away for now:
- British Airways: plans to resume Dubai flights on 4 November.
- Wizz Air: preparing to return to Dubai and Abu Dhabi in late October.
- Lufthansa, SWISS, KLM, Singapore Airlines, ITA Airways, Finnair and airBaltic: Dubai services suspended through 24 October.
- Air France: Dubai suspended through 13 October.
- Cathay Pacific: passenger services to Dubai and Riyadh suspended through 30 November.
- Air Canada: Dubai suspended until mid-January 2027.
- Virgin Atlantic: not expected back until October 2027, according to Gulf News.
Travel advisories
The UK Foreign Office has lifted its broad warning against all but essential travel to major regional hubs, the UAE included, although it says the situation remains unpredictable. Australia has lowered its UAE advice from “do not travel” to “reconsider your need to travel”.
The United States lists the UAE at Level 3, “Reconsider Travel”, citing armed conflict, drone and missile interceptions and disrupted commercial flights. Non-emergency US government staff and their families have been ordered to leave. Canada advises a high degree of caution.
The recovery in numbers
Dubai Airports CEO Paul Griffiths says airline capacity at DXB has climbed back to about 84 per cent of previous levels, with passenger volumes at 78 per cent. Emirates was operating at around 93 per cent of pre-disruption capacity in July and August. flydubai expects to restore its full network, and possibly exceed it, by the end of 2026.
The half-year figures show how deep the dip was. DXB handled 31.5 million passengers in the first six months of 2026, a fall of 31.3 per cent on the same period of 2025 because of regional airspace restrictions. Traffic then rebounded steadily through the second quarter.
Practical advice for passengers
- Check your flight status directly with your airline just before leaving home, even with a confirmed booking.
- Arrive at least three hours before departure. flydubai asks for four hours from Dubai.
- Complete online check-in where it is offered.
- Keep your contact details current so the airline can send disruption alerts.
- Allow extra time for traffic, security and immigration.
The recovery is moving in the right direction, but with several major carriers absent until late October or later, capacity on some routes will stay tighter than usual. Travellers with plans for the coming weeks should book with flexibility in mind.
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