BUSINESS

Partial Flight Resumption Opens Evacuation Window in Tense Middle East

Published: Mar. 7, 2026 5:09 a.m. GMT+8

00:00

00:00/00:00

Listen to this article 1x

A flight information screen at Hong Kong International Airport on March 4, 2026 shows an Emirates flight from Dubai scheduled to arrive that evening. Photo: VCG

Major Middle Eastern airlines are resuming flights, creating a brief window for stranded travelers to leave the conflict-stricken region, as China's Foreign Ministry urged its citizens to seize the opportunity to evacuate.

Etihad Airways on Friday announced it would resume commercial flights to 70 international destinations from March 6 to March 19, including Beijing, Hong Kong and Taipei. A day earlier, Emirates said it was operating a reduced schedule to 75 destinations, while Qatar Airways began running a limited number of “relief flights.”

You've accessed an article available only to subscribers

Subscribe today for just $.99.

VIEW OPTIONS

Unlock exclusive discounts with a Caixin group subscription — ideal for teams and organizations.

Subscribe to both Caixin Global and The Wall Street Journal — for the price of one.

Share this article

Open WeChat and scan the QR code

DIGEST HUB

Digest Hub

Back

Explore the story in 30 seconds

Major Middle Eastern airlines and Chinese carriers have resumed limited flights, enabling stranded travelers to leave amid ongoing regional conflict since February 28.
Dubai International Airport and Muscat International Airport in Oman have seen significant increases in flights, with Oman emerging as a key evacuation hub.
China’s Foreign Ministry urges its citizens to evacuate promptly, warning that the situation remains volatile and unpredictable.

AI generated, for reference only

Who’s Who

Etihad Airways: Etihad Airways announced Friday its resumption of commercial flights to 70 international destinations from March 6 to March 19. These destinations include Beijing, Hong Kong, and Taipei, offering a window for travelers to leave the conflict-stricken region.

Emirates: Emirates has resumed a reduced flight schedule, operating to 75 international destinations. One of their flights, EK362, was the first from Dubai to mainland China since the recent conflict began, landing in Guangzhou on March 4 with nearly 300 Chinese citizens.

Qatar Airways: Qatar Airways has resumed limited "relief flights" to assist with evacuations from the Middle East. Due to closed Qatari airspace and Doha's airport, these flights are operating from Muscat, Oman, and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to European cities.

Air China: Air China is one of the Chinese carriers that resumed round-trip flights to the United Arab Emirates, Oman, and Saudi Arabia starting March 5. This resumption provides a window for Chinese citizens to evacuate the conflict-stricken region, as urged by China's Foreign Ministry.

China Eastern Airlines: China Eastern Airlines, a prominent Chinese carrier, has resumed round-trip flights to the United Arab Emirates, Oman, and Saudi Arabia. This resumption, starting March 5, is in response to the Chinese Foreign Ministry's urging for its citizens to evacuate the conflict-stricken Middle East region.

China Southern Airlines: China Southern Airlines is among the Chinese carriers that have resumed round-trip flights to the United Arab Emirates, Oman, and Saudi Arabia. These operations began on March 5, providing an opportunity for Chinese citizens to evacuate the conflict-affected Middle Eastern region.

Hainan Airlines: Hainan Airlines is one of the Chinese carriers that has resumed round-trip flights to the United Arab Emirates, Oman, and Saudi Arabia. These operations began on March 5, offering a crucial evacuation opportunity for Chinese citizens amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

Flightradar24: Flightradar24 is a flight tracking service that provides data on air traffic. The article uses information from Flightradar24 to illustrate the impact of the conflict on flight operations and the subsequent recovery. For example, it notes that Dubai International Airport handled 310 flights on March 5, a significant increase from March 2, and that traffic at Muscat International Airport doubled between March 1 and March 5.

British Airways: British Airways operated evacuation flights from Oman. These flights took place on Monday and Tuesday, amidst widespread airspace closures and a volatile situation in the Middle East following military conflict.

Lufthansa: Lufthansa is mentioned in the article as one of the airlines that operated evacuation flights from Oman. These flights departed on Monday and Tuesday, amid widespread airspace closures and a highly volatile situation in the Middle East.

SWISS: SWISS, also known as 瑞士国际航空, is mentioned in the article as one of the airlines that operated evacuation flights from Oman. These flights took place on Monday and Tuesday, amidst widespread airspace closures and military conflict in the region.

AI generated, for reference only

What Happened When

February 27, 2026：: Dubai International Airport recorded 1,257 flights—the last high-traffic day before the conflict.

February 28, 2026：: Outbreak of military conflict involving the U.S., Israel, and Iran, triggering widespread flight suspensions.

March 1, 2026：: Muscat International Airport in Oman handled 140 flights.

March 2, 2026：: Dubai International Airport handled only 20 flights as airspace closures continued.

March 2, 2026：: British Airways, Lufthansa, and SWISS operated evacuation flights from Oman.

Between March 2, 2026 and March 5, 2026：: Dubai's two airports handled more than 500 flights, supplying about 105,000 outbound seats.

March 3, 2026：: British Airways, Lufthansa, and SWISS operated more evacuation flights from Oman.

March 4, 2026：: The first Emirates flight (EK362) from Dubai to the Chinese mainland since the conflict began landed in Guangzhou, with nearly 300 Chinese citizens.

March 5, 2026：: Chinese airlines (Air China, China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines, and Hainan Airlines) resumed round-trip flights to the UAE, Oman, and Saudi Arabia.