Dubai limits intl flights until May 31 amid US-Iran war, says report; Indian airlines to face the brunt

DUBAI has limited the operations of foreign airlines to just one daily flight to its airports until May 31 due to the Iran crisis, a move expected to hit Indian airlines the hardest, news agency Reuters reported.

The restriction has sparked concerns of revenue losses among Indian carriers, which had originally planned more flights to Dubai than airlines from any other country, according to letters reviewed by the agency.

The development comes at a time when Indian carriers are already facing financial pressure due to higher fuel prices. Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) prices in India were almost doubled, with prices in Delhi reaching over ₹2.07 lakh per kilolitre, according to media reports.

On top of that, Indian airlines are also forced to take longer routings to Western destinations because they have been banned from using Pakistani airspace since last year following military tensions between the two countries, adding to the cost pressures, the agency said.

Airline body urges govt to negotiate

The Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA), which represents top carriers, including IndiGo, Air India and SpiceJet, has asked India to urge Dubai authorities to lift the curbs and, if that fails, to consider reciprocal measures on Dubai carriers, including Emirates and flydubai, according to a letter it sent to the Indian government on March 31.

In a private email to airlines on March 27, seen by the news agency, Dubai Airports said carriers would be allowed one round trip per day to Dubai International Airport (DXB), normally the world's busiest international travel hub, and the smaller Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC) during the summer season between April 20 and May 31.

"Carriers continue to be limited to one rotation per day, until capacity allows more to be facilitated ... Additional slots will be allocated if capacity is available," the email read.

The FIA told the Indian government the restrictions were not being applied to Dubai's airlines such as Emirates and flydubai, a move that would disproportionately impact Indian airlines and could also lead to "substantial" revenue losses.

Indian carriers to face the brunt

India was the largest source of passengers for Dubai International Airport (DXB) in 2025, with 11.9 million travellers passing through the hub. The latest cap imposed by Dubai will severely impact Indian airlines, according to April and May schedules data from Cirium.

Air India and its budget carrier Air India Express have scheduled more than 750 flights into DXB in that period. IndiGo has 481, followed by Saudia and Gulf Air, which planned for 480 and 404, respectively. India's SpiceJet had planned 61, according to Reuters.

The one-flight-per-day cap would mean 30 or 31 per month for each foreign airline, versus the hundreds of daily flights being flown by Emirates and flydubai, according to Flightradar24 data.