UAE's General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) has announced the gradual resumption of flight operations across UAE airports to assist passengers stranded by recent regional disruptions.

Travellers are urged not to go to airports unless contacted directly by their airline with confirmed flight details to avoid congestion and ensure smooth processing.

Dubai Airports

Dubai International (DXB) and Dubai World Central (DWC) started limited operations on 2 March.

Select flights resume

Emirates and flydubai are operating select flights, prioritising passengers with earlier bookings.

Passengers rebooked onto these flights will be contacted directly by their airline.

Abu Dhabi Airport

Zayed International Airport (AUH): Operations have partially resumed, but all Etihad Airways scheduled flights remain suspended until 2:00 pm UAE time on Wednesday, March 4.

Airline: Etihad Airways

All scheduled commercial flights to and from Abu Dhabi remain suspended until 2:00 pm on March 4.

Passengers are advised not to travel to the airport unless contacted directly by the airline.

Guests should check flight status at etihad.com, ensure contact details are up to date, and use rebooking or refund options if needed.

Tickets issued on or before February 28, 2026 with travel dates up to March 7 may be rebooked free of charge on Etihad-operated flights until March 18. Refund requests can be made online or through travel agents.

Sharjah Airport

Partial operations resume tonight: Sharjah Airport Authority (SAA) has announced the limited resumption of flights at Sharjah International Airport from tonight. Passengers are urged to confirm departure times with their airlines, as operations will run under a defined schedule. The authority emphasised that safety and smooth service remain top priorities. 

Airline: Air Arabia

Flights to/from the UAE remain suspended until 3:00 pm on March 3.

Flights to Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, and Iraq remain suspended until 4:00am on March 4.

Passengers are advised to confirm flight timings with their airline or travel agent and ensure contact information is up to date to receive real-time notifications. 

Safety remains priority

Authorities emphasise that all operations will continue only once safety standards are met. Travellers are urged to check flight status online and follow official channels for live updates.

Indian airlines operate relief flights

Meanwhile, Indian carriers have launched special flights from the Middle East to bring stranded passengers home.

IndiGo will operate 10 flights from Jeddah to India on Tuesday.

SpiceJet will operate four special flights from Fujairah to Delhi, Mumbai, and Kochi, including two to Mumbai.

SpiceJet will also resume scheduled flights between Fujairah and Delhi/Mumbai from 4 March, helping restore connectivity.

On Monday, about 357 flights were cancelled, but operations gradually resumed by evening. The government is coordinating with airlines, airports, regulatory authorities, and the MEA to ensure safe restoration of services, including extra capacity for stranded passengers.

Source: Gulf News