India’s Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) confirmed on 9 March 2026 that Indian carriers would operate roughly 50 passenger services linking India with key Gulf hubs—most notably Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah—despite continuing regional air-space restrictions triggered by the Iran-US-Israel conflict. The ad-hoc schedule, first published by MoCA late on 8 March and updated the following morning, shows Air India, Air India Express, IndiGo, SpiceJet and Akasa Air using southerly routings cleared by the UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority. Although flight times are longer—some Delhi-Dubai services now route via the Arabian Sea and enter Emirati airspace south-west of Muscat—the arrangement restores a vital labour and business corridor for nearly 3.4 million Indian expatriates in the UAE and for Gulf-based project teams commuting to India.
![India green-lights 50 flights to UAE, holding Gulf corridor open on 9 March]()
For passengers juggling visas on top of shifting flight plans, VisaHQ can remove much of the stress. Its UAE portal (https://www.visahq.com/united-arab-emirates/) streamlines electronic visa applications, sends real-time status alerts and offers expert support—particularly valuable when last-minute rerouting leaves little margin for paperwork delays.
Airlines insist that only passengers with *confirmed* tickets travel to the airport; safety reviews can still cancel or reroute flights at short notice. Fares remain capped under India’s emergency pricing directive to deter price-gouging. Corporate mobility managers are advised to book flexible tickets and build extra connection time into onward itineraries, especially for travellers transiting Dubai to Europe and North America. MoCA says the temporary schedule will be reassessed daily in coordination with UAE, Qatari and Saudi regulators. Should the security outlook improve, frequencies will rise gradually, prioritising high-density routes such as Mumbai-Dubai and Delhi-Abu Dhabi. Until full air-space reopening, multinational employers should maintain remote-work options for staff delayed en route and monitor airline travel advisories for rapid operational changes.
For passengers juggling visas on top of shifting flight plans, VisaHQ can remove much of the stress. Its UAE portal (https://www.visahq.com/united-arab-emirates/) streamlines electronic visa applications, sends real-time status alerts and offers expert support—particularly valuable when last-minute rerouting leaves little margin for paperwork delays.
Airlines insist that only passengers with *confirmed* tickets travel to the airport; safety reviews can still cancel or reroute flights at short notice. Fares remain capped under India’s emergency pricing directive to deter price-gouging. Corporate mobility managers are advised to book flexible tickets and build extra connection time into onward itineraries, especially for travellers transiting Dubai to Europe and North America. MoCA says the temporary schedule will be reassessed daily in coordination with UAE, Qatari and Saudi regulators. Should the security outlook improve, frequencies will rise gradually, prioritising high-density routes such as Mumbai-Dubai and Delhi-Abu Dhabi. Until full air-space reopening, multinational employers should maintain remote-work options for staff delayed en route and monitor airline travel advisories for rapid operational changes.
