Middle Eastern Airlines Resume Limited Flights After Conflict Grounds Region
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The Etihad Airways check-in area at Terminal 4 of Heathrow Airport in London remains closed amid the ongoing conflict on March 2, 2026. Photo: IC
Middle Eastern airlines have begun a limited resumption of flights following a sweeping regional shutdown triggered by escalating conflict, though much of the airspace remains high-risk and cancellations continue to mount.
Major aviation hubs across the region saw sporadic departures after days of near paralysis triggered by escalating hostilities among Israel, Iran and the U.S. that intensified since Feb. 28. The disruption has led to the cancellation of about 40.3% of all scheduled flights in the region, stranding more than 1.5 million passengers and severing key global transit corridors.
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- Middle Eastern airlines have partially resumed flights after a major shutdown due to escalating conflict involving Israel, Iran, and the U.S. since Feb. 28, but much of the airspace remains high-risk.
- About 40.3% of all scheduled flights in the region were canceled, stranding over 1.5 million passengers; Dubai and Abu Dhabi have seen limited flight resumptions, while Qatar remains mostly closed.
- Continued drone and missile attacks have caused further disruptions and injuries, with seven countries now fully closing their airspace.
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Who’s Who
- Etihad Airways
- Following a regional shutdown, Etihad Airways announced a limited resumption of repositioning, cargo, and repatriation flights, coordinated with UAE regulators. All other scheduled commercial services to and from Abu Dhabi remained suspended until March 4, 2 p.m. On March 3, 16 Etihad passenger jets departed Abu Dhabi for destinations including the UK, Netherlands, France, Russia, India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.
- Emirates
- Emirates announced a limited resumption of flights starting March 2, though specific commercial services were not detailed. The first international flight, EK500 to Mumbai, departed Dubai around 1 a.m. Beijing time on March 3, marking the carrier's initial international service since the conflict began. Eleven additional flights from Dubai to destinations like India and Russia were also scheduled.
- Qatar Airways
- Qatar Airways operations remained suspended until March 4, as the regional hub of Qatar was largely shut down due to escalating conflict. Hamad International Airport in Doha advised travelers to avoid the airport during this period.
- Cathay Pacific Airways
- Cathay Pacific Airways, based in Hong Kong, canceled all its flights to and from Dubai and Riyadh between February 28 and March 14. This decision was made due to the escalating conflict in the Middle East, which caused widespread disruption and closures of airspace in the region.
- China Eastern Airlines
- China Eastern Airlines is a major state-owned Chinese airline. On March 2, the airline announced that it had not yet received permission to resume operations at Abu Dhabi's airport. Along with other Chinese airlines, China Eastern has implemented policies allowing free ticket refunds and changes for flights to and from the Middle East due to the ongoing conflict.
- Cirium
- Cirium is an aviation analytics firm that provides data on flight cancellations and other disruptions. Their data indicates that approximately 12,900 out of 32,000 scheduled flights into and out of the Middle East have been canceled since Feb. 28, following escalating regional conflict. While cancellations remain high, the daily rate has shown a slight decrease.
- Flightradar24
- Flightradar24 is a flight-tracking platform that provided real-time information on air traffic during the recent regional conflict. It showed several international departures from Middle Eastern hubs, such as Emirates flight EK500 from Dubai to Mumbai. Flightradar24 also reported on Etihad passenger jets departing from Abu Dhabi and multiple drone attacks necessitating flight diversions.
- VariFlight
- VariFlight is a data provider mentioned in the article. It supplied information indicating that between March 2 and March 8, 214 out of 808 scheduled flights (26.5%) linking the Chinese mainland and the Middle East were canceled. Dubai accounted for 35% of these cancellations.
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What Happened When
- Feb. 28, 2026：
- Abu Dhabi’s airport reports drone attack debris kills one person and injures seven; Dubai International Airport terminal suffers minor damage, four staff hurt in drone strike. Cathay Pacific Airways begins full suspension of flights to and from Dubai and Riyadh from this date.
- Since Feb. 28, 2026：
- Escalating hostilities among Israel, Iran, and the U.S. intensify, triggering near paralysis and sweeping regional airspace shutdown.
- Since Feb. 28, 2026：
- About 12,900 of 32,000 scheduled Middle East flights scrapped; 40.3% of all scheduled flights in the region canceled, stranding more than 1.5 million passengers.
- March 1, 2026：
- Abu Dhabi’s airport reports casualties from thwarted drone attack; Dubai International Airport confirms terminal damage from drone strike.
- March 2, 2026：
- Etihad Airways announces plans for limited flights; all other scheduled commercial services to and from Abu Dhabi suspended until 2 p.m., March 4, 2026. Zayed International Airport (Abu Dhabi) announces partial resumption. Emirates schedules small number of flights from this date.
- March 2, 2026：
- Daily regional flight cancellation rate falls to 43.9% (from 48% a day prior).
- March 2, 2026：
- Dubai International Airport advises passengers not to come to the airport unless departure is confirmed.
- Late March 2, 2026：
- Jordan announces closure of its airspace, bringing total of fully closed countries in the region to seven.
- By March 2-3, 2026：
- Two Chinese travelers, stranded in Doha, report hearing multiple distant explosions since checking into a hotel arranged by their airline on Feb. 28, 2026.
- March 3, 2026：
- Qatar Airways announces continued operations suspension until March 4, 2026; Hamad International Airport (Doha) urges travelers to stay away.
- March 3, 2026 (around 1 a.m. Beijing time)：
- First Emirates international service since conflict begins: Flight EK500 departs Dubai for Mumbai.
- Early March 3, 2026 (Beijing time)：
- Saudi Arabia's Riyadh experiences multiple drone attacks, several inbound flights turn back. Dubai hit by missile attacks, three inbound aircraft divert.
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