Dubai’s flagship carrier Emirates confirmed on 6 March that it is already operating 83 destinations and expects to ramp back up to its entire 140-city network “within the coming days,” provided security clearances continue to come through. The announcement marks the most significant step yet in the UAE’s post-crisis aviation recovery. Emirates cut its schedule to a skeleton service after the UAE partially closed its airspace on 28 February in response to Iranian missile and drone strikes across the Gulf. Over the past week the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) has progressively reopened air-routes, allowing the airline to run 106 daily return flights by 7 March—almost 60 % of its normal operation. Emirates is concentrating initial capacity on the highest-demand corridors. In the United Kingdom the airline will run 11 daily flights across five airports, while India will see 22 daily services across nine gateways. Seven U.S. destinations remain on the rota, protecting the crucial trans-Atlantic-Gulf business corridor.
![Emirates says it will restore 100 % of its global network ‘within days’ as UAE airspace re-opens]()
Whether you’re sending employees to Dubai or routing travellers through the UAE, making sure they have the right paperwork in hand is still essential. VisaHQ’s online platform (https://www.visahq.com/united-arab-emirates/) streamlines UAE visa applications with real-time requirement updates, digital document uploads and express processing options, giving mobility teams a quick, reliable way to secure entry clearance while flight schedules settle back to normal.
Regional frequencies to Cairo, Jeddah and Riyadh are also being restored. Corporate mobility managers are being urged to tell travellers not to go to the airport unless they have a confirmed seat; the carrier is prioritising passengers whose earlier flights were cancelled. Rebooking fees are waived for tickets issued before 28 February for travel up to 31 March, a move that helps companies avoid additional costs while keeping assignments on track. For expatriate employers the message is clear: mobility programmes can cautiously restart short-term assignments, but travel planning should remain flexible. Even as Emirates races toward “business-as-usual,” it warns that schedules could change at short notice if regional tensions flare again. HR and travel teams should therefore continue to monitor airline and GCAA channels daily and ensure travellers register with their embassies’ crisis-alert systems.
Whether you’re sending employees to Dubai or routing travellers through the UAE, making sure they have the right paperwork in hand is still essential. VisaHQ’s online platform (https://www.visahq.com/united-arab-emirates/) streamlines UAE visa applications with real-time requirement updates, digital document uploads and express processing options, giving mobility teams a quick, reliable way to secure entry clearance while flight schedules settle back to normal.
Regional frequencies to Cairo, Jeddah and Riyadh are also being restored. Corporate mobility managers are being urged to tell travellers not to go to the airport unless they have a confirmed seat; the carrier is prioritising passengers whose earlier flights were cancelled. Rebooking fees are waived for tickets issued before 28 February for travel up to 31 March, a move that helps companies avoid additional costs while keeping assignments on track. For expatriate employers the message is clear: mobility programmes can cautiously restart short-term assignments, but travel planning should remain flexible. Even as Emirates races toward “business-as-usual,” it warns that schedules could change at short notice if regional tensions flare again. HR and travel teams should therefore continue to monitor airline and GCAA channels daily and ensure travellers register with their embassies’ crisis-alert systems.
