At the Dubai International Airport. Picture for illustrative purposes only. ARCHIVE

Flights in Dubai and across the UAE gradually resumed on Monday afternoon (March 16), after a drone incident near Dubai International Airport (DXB) disrupted operations. The Dubai Civil Aviation Authority announced the gradual resumption of some flights to and from Dubai International Airport to selected destinations, following the temporary suspension implemented as a precautionary measure. The authority advised passengers to check with their airlines for the latest updates regarding their flights. Authorities said the disruption began early Monday after a drone incident in the vicinity of DXB affected one of the airport’s fuel tanks. Emergency teams rushed to the scene, and officials confirmed that no injuries were reported. Dubai Airports also confirmed that some flights were diverted from DXB to Al Maktoum International Airport on Monday morning as operations were adjusted. DXB later began restoring some services after the temporary suspension. Passengers were told not to head to the airport unless their airline had directly confirmed their departure time. In its travel advisory, Dubai Airports said: “We advise travellers not to head to Dubai International Airport unless they are directly contacted by their airline with confirmation of their departure time, as schedules remain subject to change.” The disruption comes as the regional conflict entered its 17th day on March 16, with airspace restrictions and security incidents continuing to affect aviation across West Asia. Regional air traffic has been sharply affected by the conflict, with cancellations, rerouting and rising operational pressure across major hubs.

Emirates restores limited operations

Emirates said it had resumed limited operations from Dubai on Monday afternoon following the earlier suspension. The airline said: “Some flights from today’s schedule have been cancelled. Affected customers will receive a cancellation notice and will be advised on reaccommodation options.” In an updated travel notice, Emirates said it expected to operate a limited schedule after 10am Dubai time and urged passengers to check their flight status before leaving for the airport. The airline’s official travel update also said passengers can rebook or amend flights online within 72 hours of the original departure date.

flydubai also resumes with reduced schedule

Low-cost carrier flydubai said it was gradually restoring flight operations with a reduced schedule. The airline said: “Some scheduled flights have been affected by the temporary suspension of operations. We are contacting customers who have been impacted to notify them if their flight has been cancelled or rescheduled.” It also reminded passengers not to travel unless they had received confirmation that their flight was operating, had been rebooked, or had been given a revised check-in time. flydubai added: “The safety of our passengers and crew remains our highest priority. We continue to work closely with our stakeholders and authorities to ensure the safe resumption of our operations.”

Air Arabia and Etihad operating limited services

Air Arabia said it had started operating a limited number of flights to and from the UAE, subject to operational and regulatory approvals. The airline said passengers on cancelled flights could choose from a free date change within 30 days, a full credit voucher, or a full refund to the original form of payment. Limited services were being operated from Sharjah, Abu Dhabi and Ras Al Khaimah to selected destinations including India, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Pakistan, Thailand and Turkey, according to airline updates carried in Monday coverage. Etihad Airways also said it was operating a limited schedule from Abu Dhabi and advised passengers not to travel to the airport unless they had a confirmed booking or had been contacted directly by the airline.

Regional airlines continue to adjust

Across the region, airlines were still juggling schedules because of ongoing airspace restrictions. Gulf Air said some services were temporarily being operated via Dammam as Bahrain’s airspace remained closed. Oman Air said flights were continuing across its network, though several routes were still affected. Qatar Airways said it was operating a limited schedule to and from Doha within a safe corridor defined by its civil aviation authority, while Saudia extended the suspension of flights on several regional routes while running some exceptional services. CAM/ICA/Expat Media
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