Emirates Airlines resume flights amid tensions, Air France repatriation flight forced to turn back

THE outbreak of the US-Israel war against Iran has caused widespread flight cancellations across the Middle East, forcing airlines and governments to scramble to assist stranded passengers, as reported by Reuters.

Meanwhile, airline shares from New Zealand to Japan have fallen as the conflict pushes fuel prices higher.

Currently, only two airports are partially open for limited operations: Dubai International Airport (DXB) and Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC). Dubai Airports has managed over 1,140 flights in the past 84 hours to help passengers reach their destinations amid the ongoing Iran–Israel conflict.

Travellers have faced steep costs to leave the region. Some passengers who flew commercially from Oman on Thursday described navigating flights out of Dubai as “absolute chaos.”

Etihad airport

Etihad Airways announced that it will resume a limited flight schedule from its main hub in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, starting Friday.

The state-owned airline had operated a small number of flights in recent days, but the latest move indicates a gradual return toward more regular services. Etihad said both previously booked passengers and new travellers would be able to fly, provided that all required safety conditions are satisfied.

The airline also revealed plans to operate flights to more than 70 destinations between Friday and March 19. Meanwhile, the Saudi Ministry of Defence said it destroyed another drone northeast of Riyadh.

Qatar’s Ministry of Defence reported early Friday that it intercepted a drone attack aimed at Al Udeid Air Base, which houses the forward headquarters of the U.S. Central Command, AP reported.

In Saudi Arabia, three ballistic missiles fired toward Prince Sultan Air Base, home to US forces, were intercepted and destroyed, according to a spokesperson for the Saudi Ministry of Defence.

Air raid sirens went off in Bahrain, where the Interior Ministry reported that Iranian strikes targeted two hotels and a residential building, though no casualties were reported. In Kuwait, where six US soldiers were killed on Sunday, the army said its air defences were activated after missile and drone attacks breached national airspace, AP reported.