How Airlines Are Responding Right Now
The disruption goes far beyond Dubai, and airlines across the region and around the world have had to adjust their operations quickly. Here’s where things currently stand with some of the major carriers.
Among Gulf airlines, Qatar Airways remains grounded due to the ongoing airspace closure over Qatar. The airline has started running a limited number of relief flights from Muscat to cities including London, Berlin, Copenhagen, Madrid, Rome, and Amsterdam.
Oman Air has cancelled flights to and from Dubai, Bahrain, Doha, and Kuwait through Sunday, while Gulf Air in Bahrain is still suspended and waiting for official clearance before resuming service.
International airlines are also taking a cautious approach. The Lufthansa Group has suspended flights to and from Dubai and Abu Dhabi through Friday and is avoiding a large portion of regional airspace. Cathay Pacific has cancelled service to Dubai and Riyadh until March 15, while Finnair has pulled its Dubai and Doha flights through March 29.
British Airways has added extra flights from Muscat to London Heathrow to help move stranded passengers out of Oman and the UAE, although those flights are already fully booked through March 7.
One of the few international carriers that has resumed regular service is Virgin Atlantic, which restarted flights between London Heathrow and Dubai on March 3. Air India and IndiGo have also begun operating a limited number of repatriation flights to bring stranded passengers home.
If your itinerary involves any of these airports, the most reliable step is still to contact your airline directly. Many carriers have introduced flexible rebooking and refund policies covering travel through mid-March and possibly longer as the situation continues to evolve.
