Travel Updates: Middle East Airspace Closures & Airline Suspensions 



Updated: 9 to 10 March 2026 at 15:00 to 11:00 PM (GMT +4)


Due to the rapidly evolving security situation across the Gulf and wider Middle East, multiple airspace closures and airline suspensions are currently in effect. The situation remains dynamic and operational conditions may change at short notice.

Please find the consolidated status updates (as of 15:00 hours on Monday, 9th March 2026) below.
Airports in the Gulf are gradually reopening with restricted corridors & partial operations. Airlines continue to update flight routes & schedules across the region due to security concerns and airspace limitations.

The aviation disruption is entering its second week, with carriers extending suspensions to many Middle Eastern destinations through mid-March.


Airspace Status as of 9 to 10 March 2026

  • U.A.E.: Partially operational (restricted schedules)

  • Airports including Dubai (DXB), Al Maktoum (DWC), Fujairah (FJR), Sharjah (SHJ) and Ras Al Khaimah (RKT) have resumed limited flights, with airlines gradually reinstating select routes and special flights. Travellers are advised to verify schedules before heading to the airport.


  • Qatar: Restricted operations / emergency corridors Qatar reopened air navigation under restricted conditions allowing evacuation and limited cargo flights; standard commercial passenger schedules remain largely suspended.

  • Saudi Arabia (KSA): Operational but heavily disrupted

  • Major hubs (Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam) remain open but with significant cancellations and rerouted flights due to regional airspace risks and airline suspensions.


  • Oman: Operational with restrictions

  • Muscat International Airport is open, but non-scheduled private jet traffic has been restricted to manage congestion and prioritize commercial and government flights.


  • Bahrain: Severely restricted / intermittent suspension

  • Bahrain airspace closures earlier halted flights; operations are gradually reopening but remain highly constrained depending on security assessments.


  • Kuwait / Jordan / Lebanon / : Limited or suspended operations
  • Kuwait previously closed airspace following attacks near the airport; flight schedules remain significantly disrupted and many international airlines continue suspensions.


  • Syria: Very limited connectivity

  • Damascus airport operates sporadically with restricted routes; international connectivity remains minimal amid regional security concerns.


  • Israel: Commercial flights suspended

  • Israeli airspace remains largely closed to civilian traffic, with passenger operations at Ben Gurion Airport halted and only exceptional movements possible.


  • Iran: Operational only for military, government, humanitarian, or emergency flights

  • Not operating normal commercial international aviation. Passenger travel is effectively suspended until further notice. Some domestic or special flights may operate intermittently, but schedules are not stable.

    The above key airspace hubs are effectively closed for commercial passenger operations this morning (around 10 AM UAE time) with no confirmed full reopening time.


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    Flight Updates

    AIRLINE UPDATES (as of 9 to 10 March 2026)

     

    AIRLINE STATUS AFFECTED FLIGHTS IMPORTANT LINKS
    Air India (AI)Air India and Air India Express will together operate 14 flights to and from Jeddah, while Air India Express will be operating 14 flights to and from Muscat on 10 March 2026, with a total of 32 additional non-scheduled flights to and from many destinations in the UAE on 10 March 2026, subject to slot availability, regulatory approvals, and the evolving situation. - AI2251 / AI2252 Mumbai > Jeddah > Mumbai
    - AI2245 / AI2246 Mumbai > Jeddah > Mumbai
    - AI2255 / AI2256 Delhi > Jeddah > Delhi
    - I4205 / AI4206 Delhi > Dubai > Delhi
    - AI4209 / AI4210 Delhi > Dubai > Delhi
    - AI4207 / AI4208 Mumbai > Dubai > Mumbai
    - AI4201 / AI4202 Mumbai > Dubai > Mumbai
    - AI4217 / AI4218 Mumbai > Dubai > Mumbai
     Check your Flight Status
    Air Arabia (G9 / 3L) Limited Flights Operating Between Sharjah,  Abu Dhabi, Ras Al Khaimah & Selected Destinations listed here(until 22 March 2026)
    A limited number of flights may operate in coordination with the relevant authorities, subject to operational and safety approvals. Passengers scheduled on operating flights will be notified directly. 
    Do Not Go to the Airport unless you have been notified.
    Learn more
    Emirates Airlines (EK)Emirates has resumed operations. Passengers who have confirmed bookings for this afternoon’s flights may proceed to the airport. This includes customers transiting in Dubai, if they are also confirmed to travel on their connecting flight. Please do not go to the airport unless you hold a confirmed booking.   List of Destinations
    Etihad Airways (EY)Etihad Airways has resumed a limited commercial flight schedule, operating between Abu Dhabi and a number of key destinations.
    Guests with previous bookings will be accommodated on these flights as soon as possible. Selected destinations are scheduled to operate to and from Abu Dhabi between 6 March and 19 March.
    *All services remain subject to operational approvals and may be adjusted depending on regional airspace conditions. Not all destinations operate daily. Guests should consult the latest schedule at etihad.com for specific days of operation.

     All other scheduled commercial services to and from Abu Dhabi remain suspended. Additional destinations will be added and communicated as conditions permit. 
    EY615        Abu Dhabi > Jeddah
    EY021        Abu Dhabi > Toronto
    EY713        Abu Dhabi > Cairo
    EY003        Abu Dhabi > New York
    EY553        Abu Dhabi > Riyadh
    EY376        Abu Dhabi > Male
    EY406        Abu Dhabi > Bangkok
    EY412        Abu Dhabi > Phuket
    EY430        Abu Dhabi > Hanoi
    EY390        Abu Dhabi > Colombo
    EY067        Abu Dhabi > London
    EY843        Abu Dhabi > Moscow
    EY079        Abu Dhabi > Milan
    EY033        Abu Dhabi > Paris
    EY123        Abu Dhabi > Frankfurt
    EY141        Abu Dhabi > Zurich
    EY232        Abu Dhabi > Bangalore
    EY206        Abu Dhabi > Mumbai
    EY352        Abu Dhabi > Hyderabad
    EY246        Abu Dhabi > Ahmedabad
    EY440        Abu Dhabi > Manila
    Check Your Flight Status
     Qatar Airways (QR) Flights departing from Doha on 10 March 2026 Cairo (CAI), London Heathrow (LHR), Jeddah (JED), Manila (MNL), Kochi (COK), Muscat (MCT), Istanbul (IST), Mumbai (BOM), Delhi (DEL), Nairobi (NBO),  Islamabad (ISB), Madrid (MAD), Frankfurt (FRA), Colombo (CMB), Milan (MXP) QR Travel Page
     Qatar Airways (QR) Flights arriving in Doha on 10 March 2026 Seoul (ICN), Moscow (SVO), London Heathrow (LHR), Delhi (DEL), Madrid (MAD), Islamabad (ISB), Beijing (PKX), Perth (PER), Nairobi (NBO), Istanbul (IST)QR Travel Page
    Qatar Airways (QR)  Flights arriving in Doha on 11 March 2026 Cairo (CAI), London Heathrow (LHR), Jeddah (JED), Manila (MNL), Kochi (COK), Muscat (MCT), Istanbul (IST), Mumbai (BOM), Delhi (DEL), Nairobi (NBO),  Islamabad (ISB), Madrid (MAD), Frankfurt (FRA), Colombo (CMB), Milan (MXP) QR Travel Page
    IndiGo (6E)

    To support customers, subject to prevailing safety conditions and applicable regulatory approvals, IndiGo will be operating flights to five destinations in the Middle East on 7th March 2026, as detailed below.

    - 6E 1453 Mumbai > Delhi
    - 6E 1464 Dubai > Delhi
    - 6E 1463 Delhi > Dubai
    - 6E 1454 Dubai > Mumbai
    - 6E 1461 Delhi > Dubai
    - 6E 1462 Dubai > Delhi
    - 6E 1448 Hyderabad > Abu Dhabi
    - 6E 1449 Abu Dhabi > Hyderabad
    - 6E 1413 Mumbai > Abu Dhabi
    - 6E 1414 Abu Dhabi > Mumbai
    - 6E 1421 Hyderabad > Sharjah
    - 6E 1422 Sharjah > Hyderabad
    - 6E 1495 Hyderabad > Ras Al Khaimah
    - 6E 1496 Ras Al Khaimah > Hyderabad
    - 6E 1501 Mumbai > Fujairah
    - 6E 1502 Fujairah > Mumbai
    Check Flight Status
    Air India Express (IX) In addition to the resumption of scheduled operations between Muscat & India, along with select routes from Jeddah, Air India Express also operating additional flights connecting Muscat, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah to India.IX235 / IX236        Mumbai > Muscat > Mumbai
    IX163 / IX164        Delhi > Muscat > Delhi
    IX431 / IX432        Kochi > Muscat > Kochi
    IX337 / IX338        Kozhikode > Muscat > Kozhikode
    IX817 / IX818        Mangaluru > Muscat > Mangaluru
    IX619 / IX620        Trichinappalli > Muscat > Trichinappalli
    IX550 / IX549        Thiruvananthapuram > Muscat > Thiruvananthapuram
    IX397 / IX398        Kozhikode > Jeddah > Kozhikode
    IX845/ IX 846        Mangaluru – Jeddah > Mangaluru
    IX941 / IX942        Bengaluru > Jeddah > Bengaluru
    IX939 / IX940        Hyderabad > Jeddhah > Hyderabad
    IX1115 / IX1116        Bengaluru > Dubai > Bengaluru
    IX1117 / IX1118        Mumbai > Dubai > Mumbai
    IX1121 / IX1122        Mumbai > Ras Al Khaimah > Mumbai
    IX6605 / IX6606        Mumbai > Ras Al Khaimah > Mumbai
    IX1123 / IX1125        Kochi > Ras Al Khaimah > Kochi
    IX6603 / IX6604        Delhi > Ras Al Khaimah > Delhi
    IX6701 / IX6702        Bengaluru > Ras Al Khaimah > Bengaluru
    IX257 / IX268        Mumbai > Abu Dhabi > Mumbai
    IX865 / IX866        Bengaluru > Abu Dhabi > Bengaluru
    IX251 / IX252        Mumbai > Sharjah > Mumbai
    IX6607 / IX6608        Bengaluru > Sharjah > Bengaluru
    Check Your Flight Status
    Sri Lankan Airlines (UL)All flights scheduled from Colombo to Middle East destinations have been temporarily suspended on 7th and 8th March 2026.*UL 231 Colombo - Dubai (8 March 2026)
    *UL 232 Dubai – Colombo (8 March 2026)
    *UL225 Colombo - Dubai
    *UL226 Dubai – Colombo
    *UL217 Colombo - Doha
    *UL218 Doha - Colombo
    *UL253 Colombo - Dammam
    *UL254 Dammam - Colombo
    *UL265 Colombo - Riyadh
    *UL266 Riyadh – Colombo
    *UL229 Colombo - Kuwait
    *UL230 Kuwait - Colombo
    SpiceJet (SG)SpiceJet continues to operate multiple special flights from the UAE to India to support passenger travel during this time with additional flights on 8 March 2026 have been scheduled to ensure smoother connectivity.- SG 5652 Dubai > Pune
    - SG 9006 Fujairah > Delhi
    - SG 9085 Fujairah > Delhi
    - SG 9082 Fujairah > Delhi
    - SG 9072 Fujairah > Delhi
    - SG 5514 Dubai > Mumbai
    - SG 9014 Fujairah > Mumbai
    - SG 9087 Fujairah > Mumbai
    - SG 9089 Fujairah > Mumbai
    - SG 9044 Fujairah > Mumbai
     Spicejet (SG) SpiceJet continues to operate multiple special flights from Dubai to India to support passenger travel and ensure smoother connectivity. 
    Passengers are requested to check their flight status before leaving for the airport.
     11 MARCH 2026
    - SG 5652 Dubai > Pune
    - SG 58 Dubai > Jaipur
    - SG 24 Dubai > Madurai
    - SG 54 Dubai > Calicut
    - SG 16 Dubai > Ahmedabad
    - SG 5512 Dubai > Delhi
    - SG 5506 Dubai > Delhi
    - SG 5514 Dubai > Mumbai
    - SG 60 Dubai > Mumbai
    flydubai (FZ)Operations in and out of Dubai have resumed.
    Customers connecting through Dubai will only be accepted for travel from their origin if the connecting flight is operating.
    Flight durations and transit times in Dubai may be longer than usual due to the temporary rerouting of some flight paths. The safety of our passengers and crew remains our highest priority. We continue to coordinate with our stakeholders and monitor the situation closely.
    Customers are advised not to travel to the airport unless they have a confirmed booking or official confirmation of a rebooked flight.
     Check Flight Status
    British Airways (BA)Further flights from Oman (Muscat) to London Heathrow departing at 02:30 hours (UAE time) on 9, 10, 11 and 12 March have been added. These flights are for BA customers who are in Oman or the UAE with an existing booking.
    flynas (F3)All flight operations to the United Arab Emirates, Doha, Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, and Syria are temporarily suspended, up until 01:00 hours (UAE time) on Sunday, 15 March
    Saudi Airlines (SV) Saudia confirms that the suspension of flights to and from Amman, Kuwait, Abu Dhabi, Doha and Bahrain has been
    extended until Tuesday, 10 March at 23:59 GMT, due to the ongoing developments.
    Flights to and from Dubai have partially resumed and are currently operating on a limited schedule.
    Flights to and from Moscow and Peshawar will remain suspended until Sunday, 15 March.
    Saudia continues to assess the gradual resumption of select services and will announce further updates once operational decisions are finalized.
    Check Flight Status
    Salam Air (OV) Due to airspace closures in certain destinations as a result of ongoing regional developments, some scheduled SalamAir flights may be subject to changes.
    - Flights to and from Iraq, Lebanon, and Iran are suspended until 28th March 2026.
    - Flights to and from Kuwait, Sharjah, Doha & Dammam are suspended until 20th March 2026.
    Cebu Pacific (5J)The flights scheduled on Saturday, 7 March 2026 have been cancelled- 5J 14/15: Manila > Dubai > Manila
    - 5J 741: Riyadh > Manila 
     Learn More
    Cebu Pacific (5J)The flights scheduled on Sunday, 8 March 2026 have been cancelled - 5J 14/15: Manila > Dubai > Manila
    - 5J 740: Manila > Riyadh 
     Learn More
     Akasa Air (QP) Following a comprehensive safety review and based on the current assessment of the situation in the Middle East, Akasa Air will operate select flights to/from Jeddah and Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Kochi, and Kozhikode, until March 31, 2026.
    Flights to and from Abu Dhabi and Riyadh remain suspended until March 11, 2026. Additionally, flights from Doha and Kuwait remain suspended  until March 15, 2026.
    Check Flight Status
     Korean Air (KE) Flights between Seoul / Dubai / Seoul have been cancelled until 15 March 2026 Check Your Flight Status
     Lufthansa (LH) Group
     
     
     
     
    Damman-Frankfurt: cancelled until Sunday 8th March 
     Riyadh-Frankfurt: operating on 4th, 5th and 7th March
     Riyadh-Munich: operating 3 weekly, effective 4th March
     Dammam-Riyadh-Frankfurt: Normal 4 flights weekly (9th March onwards)
     Jeddah-Berlin / Cologne / Stuttgart: Eurowings operating as per schedule.

    Musafir Monitoring & Support
    Our crisis operations team is actively monitoring:


  • Our crisis operations team is actively monitoring:
  • Regional aviation authorities
  • Airline operational bulletins
  • Embassy advisories
  • Airspace management updates:

    For urgent rebooking, rerouting, or traveler risk assessment support, please contact our 24/7 support desk immediately.