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UAE air travellers are contending with another day of patchy operations, as Emirates, Etihad Airways, Air Arabia and flydubai report fresh delays and cancellations while Air France prolongs its suspension of Dubai flights amid ongoing regional and operational pressures.
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Air France keeps Dubai flights off schedule
Published updates from European and regional media show that Air France has repeatedly extended a pause on services between Paris and Dubai, initially through early September and then for additional days as the carrier continues to review security and operational risks in Gulf airspace.
Coverage from aviation trackers and travel-compensation platforms indicates that by 8 September Air France had pushed its Dubai suspension through at least 10 September, adding to an already long list of foreign airlines that have either halted or reduced UAE services while monitoring the regional situation.
Reports also note that Air France has resumed or maintained flights to some other Middle East destinations, including Tel Aviv and Riyadh, while continuing to suspend Beirut and Dubai on specified dates. This mixed approach underlines how airlines are tailoring decisions route by route according to evolving assessments rather than applying a blanket regional policy.
For UAE-bound passengers with Air France tickets, publicly available information advises checking booking management tools and airport departure boards before travelling, as rebooking options and alternative routings via partner airlines may differ depending on the original travel date and fare type.
Emirates navigates regional risks and weather issues
Emirates has kept the bulk of its global network operating, yet travel alerts on the airline’s website and local news reports highlight targeted disruption on specific routes. Recent advisories cite a run of cancellations and delays between Dubai and Jakarta following the temporary closure of Soekarno Hatta International Airport due to volcanic ash, alongside separate disruption linked to air traffic control issues in the UK.
Regional coverage indicates that Emirates has partially restored flights between Dubai and Bahrain, with at least one daily service operating, while Dubai–Kuwait routes remain suspended on some days as the carrier manages airspace and demand constraints. Other long-haul flights have experienced schedule changes or extended journey times as aircraft are routed around higher-risk areas.
Public guidance from the airline and airport operators continues to stress that passengers should monitor flight-status tools up to the time of departure, ensure contact details are updated in their booking, and allow additional time at Dubai International for check-in, security and potential crowding around departure gates when multiple delayed services overlap.
Travel-industry analysts quoted in open reports suggest that Emirates’ strategy of selectively trimming or rerouting services, rather than imposing a broad suspension, is aimed at preserving network connectivity while still responding to operational and safety considerations in a fluid environment.
Etihad, flydubai and Air Arabia adjust Gulf schedules
From Abu Dhabi, Etihad Airways has reported mainly normal operations to Bahrain and Kuwait on several recent days, according to UAE business media, although some flights to South Asia and Europe have faced delays or diversions tied to weather, airport closures and technical issues. One Abu Dhabi–Barcelona service, for example, was diverted to Madrid after adverse weather at the original destination.
Dubai-based flydubai has continued to run a number of services to Kuwait and Bahrain, with advisories encouraging passengers to arrive at least four hours before departure, complete online check-in where possible and confirm flight status before leaving home. Reports indicate that even when schedules appear normal on core regional routes, knock-on effects from airspace restrictions or inbound delays can still disrupt departure times at short notice.
Air Arabia, operating from Sharjah and Abu Dhabi, has taken a more cautious approach on certain Gulf sectors. Local coverage lists multiple cancellations on Kuwait and Bahrain routes on several days in early September, alongside delays to destinations in Central Asia, North Africa and the Indian subcontinent. Passengers on affected services have been directed to contact the airline for rebooking or refund options.
Across the three UAE carriers, the pattern that emerges from published flight lists is one of selective cuts and rolling timetable changes rather than wholesale shutdowns, with airlines prioritising high-demand regional links while temporarily suspending others where operational complexity or reduced demand is highest.
Foreign airlines maintain wider UAE suspensions
Air France is not alone in keeping Dubai and other UAE routes on hold. Round-ups from regional outlets and consumer-rights platforms show that more than a dozen non-Gulf airlines, including British Airways, Singapore Airlines, KLM, Cathay Pacific and several European leisure carriers, have either suspended flights to Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah or limited frequencies into late September and beyond.
Some of these carriers cite the broader US–Iran standoff and associated airspace advisories as factors behind their decisions, while others are also managing fleet and crew constraints. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency has extended its conflict-zone bulletin for parts of Gulf airspace until at least 30 September, and airlines are incorporating that guidance into overflight planning and risk assessments.
Timelines for resuming UAE services vary widely. According to published schedules, certain European airlines are targeting late October for a gradual return on Dubai routes, often with reduced weekly frequencies, while others have pushed any restart into late 2026 or early 2027. Canadian and Asian carriers are among those signalling longer suspensions, particularly on routes that traverse multiple regions affected by advisories.
For UAE residents and visitors, these continued suspensions limit non-stop options to and from key hubs such as London, Amsterdam, Singapore and Toronto, increasing reliance on Gulf carriers and alternative connection points in Europe and Asia for long-haul itineraries.
What travellers should do before heading to the airport
The patchwork of delays, cancellations and route suspensions means that travellers flying from Dubai, Abu Dhabi or Sharjah face a more unpredictable experience than usual. Flight-disruption trackers report that both Dubai International Airport and Abu Dhabi’s Zayed International Airport have seen rolling disruption across multiple days, with airlines frequently updating departure and arrival times as conditions evolve.
Consumer organisations and airline advisories consistently recommend that passengers treat previously confirmed itineraries as subject to change until boarding time. Checking flight status on airline websites or apps, reviewing recent travel updates pages, and keeping an eye on airport live departure boards can reduce the risk of unnecessary trips to the airport for flights that later cancel or depart significantly late.
Travel specialists also highlight the importance of understanding the rules attached to each ticket. Flexible fares typically offer broader rebooking options when a flight is cancelled or heavily delayed, while basic economy tickets may limit the ability to change dates or routing without additional costs. Passengers connecting via the UAE should factor in extra buffer time between flights where possible.
Given that some disruptions are driven by external factors such as volcanic ash, regional conflict dynamics and foreign air-traffic-control issues, observers note that the current pattern of irregular operations could persist intermittently over the coming weeks. Travellers planning journeys through the UAE are therefore being encouraged by publicly available guidance to remain adaptable and to build contingency time into their itineraries.
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