UAE lifts flight curbs as Dubai Airport returns to normal operations
Dubai airport returned to normal operations on Saturday after the United Arab Emirates lifted all flight restrictions introduced since the start of the US and Israel's war on Iran. The General Civil Aviation Authority said air operations across UAE airspace were back to normal after restrictions that had hit Dubai and Abu Dhabi since late February.
The authority said it made the change after a comprehensive assessment of operational and security conditions in coordination with relevant authorities. It also said it would continue monitoring the situation, leaving airlines and passengers with a clearer operating picture after weeks of disruption.
Dubai and Abu Dhabi restrictions
Dubai and Abu Dhabi had been operating under restrictions since late February, when the UAE declared a temporary and partial closure of its airspace at the start of the conflict. UAE carriers Emirates and flydubai temporarily halted all operations, and Etihad suspended all departures from Abu Dhabi. More than 11,000 flights in and out of the region were cancelled in the opening days.
The impact was part of wider airspace closures across the Middle East tied to the war on Iran. At least eight states announced full or partial closures, and the disruption restricted long-haul routes between Europe and Asia.
March reopening numbers
The UAE announced a gradual reopening in March, and traffic data from March 1 to 12 showed the scale of the recovery already under way. During that period, airports in the country handled 1.4 million passengers and recorded 7,839 air traffic movements. National carriers recovered to 44.6 percent of normal levels.
That partial rebound came before Saturday's full lifting of restrictions, suggesting airlines now have room to rebuild schedules more quickly than they could under the earlier limits. Dubai's role as home to the world's busiest airport for international passengers makes the return to normal airspace a direct operational change for travelers moving through the hub.
Qatar Airways plans
The easing in the region comes after a Pakistan-brokered ceasefire last month brought the conflict to a halt. On Saturday, Qatar Airways said it would resume flights to three Iraqi cities from May 10, after previously announcing plans to serve more than 150 destinations across six continents from mid-June.
For passengers using Dubai Airport, the immediate step is to watch airline schedules as carriers restore services that had been suspended or reduced under the restrictions. The UAE's decision removes the airspace limits that had shaped routing, departures and cancellations since late February.
