Dubai-based Emirates airline has said it anticipated a return to 100% of its network within the coming days, subject to airspace availability, while Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways said it has restarted a limited commercial flight schedule on Friday (March 6).
In a statement on Friday, an Emirates spokesperson said: "Safety, as ever, remains paramount as is our duty of care."
He added: "Following the partial re-opening of regional airspace, Emirates is operating a reduced flight schedule while working to restore full network operations."
The statement added that on Thursday, Emirates carried approximately 30,000 passengers out of Dubai. By March 7, Emirates will have 106 return daily flights operating to 83 destinations, representing almost 60% of our route network.
It also indicated that in certain high-demand markets, Emirates has significantly scaled up its operations. In the UK alone, the airline will be operating 11 daily flights across five airports by March 7, reflecting the strength of travel demand between the UAE and UK.
• Additional capacity is being deployed across India, with Emirates scaling up to 22 daily flights, serving all nine of its Indian gateways by March 7.
• In the United States, Emirates currently operates to seven of its American gateways, ensuring continued connectivity between the US and the UAE during this period.
The airline further stated that it will continue to monitor the situation closely and adapt its operations accordingly.
"We urge all customers to check emirates.com and our official social media channels, where we will publish the latest updates as they become available," it concluded.
Meanwhile, Etihad Airways said it will restart a limited commercial flight schedule from March 6, reconnecting the UAE capital with several key global destinations.
The following destinations are scheduled to operate to and from Abu Dhabi between March 6 and 19: Ahmedabad, Bangkok, Bengaluru, Cairo, Colombo, Delhi, Frankfurt, Hanoi, Hyderabad, Jeddah, Kuala Lumpur, London (Heathrow), Madrid, Malé, Milan (Malpensa), Moscow (Sheremetyevo), Mumbai, New York (JFK), Paris, Phuket, Riyadh, Rome, Seoul (Incheon), Toronto and Zurich. All other scheduled commercial services to and from Abu Dhabi remain suspended.
The cautious restart of services comes amid continuing tensions in the Gulf following a sharp escalation in the conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran. The confrontation has led to widespread airspace closures across parts of the Middle East due to fears that missiles or drones could threaten civilian aircraft, forcing airlines to suspend or reroute hundreds of flights and leaving tens of thousands of travellers stranded at regional hubs including Dubai and Abu Dhabi. While some air corridors have begun reopening, aviation authorities and airlines remain on high alert as the security situation continues to evolve.
Despite the gradual resumption of flights, many stranded passengers say the cost of tickets remains a major hurdle. Prices listed on airline websites for the limited available services are reportedly far above normal rates, making it difficult for travellers stuck in the UAE to secure seats. With demand surging and capacity still sharply reduced due to ongoing airspace restrictions, many passengers are struggling to afford last-minute fares while waiting for more regular schedules to return. - TradeArabia News Service
