After ten days of near-total shutdown, airlines have begun stitching the UAE’s global network back together. Travel platform Wego’s live tracker shows that Emirates, Etihad Airways, flydubai and Air Arabia operated reduced services on 6–9 March and have opened reservations on a rolling basis for the week ahead.(blog.wego.com)
Emirates is focusing on long-haul trunk routes such as London, Sydney and Delhi while advising transit passengers to come to Dubai International only if contacted. Etihad’s provisional schedule covers 70 destinations from Abu Dhabi between 6 and 19 March, but departures remain subject to same-day air-space clearances. Low-cost flydubai and Air Arabia have restored a handful of rotations from DXB and SHJ respectively; city check-in counters and remote bag-drop facilities remain closed.
For companies recalibrating travel plans, VisaHQ can streamline the often-overlooked paperwork side of the return to the UAE. Their online portal (https://www.visahq.com/united-arab-emirates/) lets you verify entry requirements, submit visa applications, and monitor approvals in real time—helping travellers dodge last-minute documentation snags while airlines fine-tune their schedules.
![Emirates, Etihad and other carriers restart limited UAE flights as air-space gradually reopens]()
Corporate mobility teams should build in extra buffers. Aircraft are frequently re-routed around closure zones, adding hours to flight times, and last-minute cancellations remain possible if military activity flares. Travellers holding tickets issued before 28 February can generally rebook without fees for travel up to the end of April (Emirates) or 15 May (Etihad).
While the restart is encouraging, aviation analysts warn that full network normalisation could take weeks. Crews and aircraft are out of rotation, and ground-handling slots are constrained by the backlog of wide-body aircraft parked at remote stands. Companies should therefore avoid confirming client meetings or project kick-offs in the UAE until itineraries operate for at least 48 hours without disruption.
Action items: monitor airline apps for gate changes, keep passports valid for at least six months to avoid last-minute boarding denials, and remind assignees that transiting via alternative hubs such as Muscat or Riyadh may still prove faster until DXB and AUH return to full capacity.
Emirates is focusing on long-haul trunk routes such as London, Sydney and Delhi while advising transit passengers to come to Dubai International only if contacted. Etihad’s provisional schedule covers 70 destinations from Abu Dhabi between 6 and 19 March, but departures remain subject to same-day air-space clearances. Low-cost flydubai and Air Arabia have restored a handful of rotations from DXB and SHJ respectively; city check-in counters and remote bag-drop facilities remain closed.
For companies recalibrating travel plans, VisaHQ can streamline the often-overlooked paperwork side of the return to the UAE. Their online portal (https://www.visahq.com/united-arab-emirates/) lets you verify entry requirements, submit visa applications, and monitor approvals in real time—helping travellers dodge last-minute documentation snags while airlines fine-tune their schedules.
Corporate mobility teams should build in extra buffers. Aircraft are frequently re-routed around closure zones, adding hours to flight times, and last-minute cancellations remain possible if military activity flares. Travellers holding tickets issued before 28 February can generally rebook without fees for travel up to the end of April (Emirates) or 15 May (Etihad).
While the restart is encouraging, aviation analysts warn that full network normalisation could take weeks. Crews and aircraft are out of rotation, and ground-handling slots are constrained by the backlog of wide-body aircraft parked at remote stands. Companies should therefore avoid confirming client meetings or project kick-offs in the UAE until itineraries operate for at least 48 hours without disruption.
Action items: monitor airline apps for gate changes, keep passports valid for at least six months to avoid last-minute boarding denials, and remind assignees that transiting via alternative hubs such as Muscat or Riyadh may still prove faster until DXB and AUH return to full capacity.
