UAE carriers have issued a rare joint update detailing exactly which services are operating after two weeks of unprecedented air-space closures triggered by the regional conflict. In the early hours of 12 March, Emirates, Etihad Airways, flydubai and Air Arabia simultaneously refreshed their online timetables, publishing destination-by-destination lists and opening seat inventory on hundreds of flights through 15 March. Emirates is now selling seats to 82 cities, including long-haul trunk routes such as Sydney, São Paulo and London Heathrow, although frequencies remain well below normal. Etihad has re-started 25 routes out of Abu Dhabi, while flydubai and Air Arabia are concentrating on high-demand regional links such as Amman, Cairo, Mumbai and Dhaka. All four airlines warn that schedules can change at short notice and that passengers should travel to the airport only after receiving a re-confirmation email or SMS. Generous waiver policies remain in force: tickets issued before 28 February for travel up to 31 March may be re-booked once free of charge, refunded in full or converted into open vouchers. Customers holding short-stay visit visas that expire during the disruption are advised to keep cancellation e-mails as proof when requesting over-stay fine waivers from UAE immigration. The joint bulletin follows the partial re-opening of UAE, Bahraini and Saudi airspace on 6 March and the activation of new, missile-avoidance routings approved by Eurocontrol and the International Civil Aviation Organization. Although flight numbers are increasing daily, capacity is still down about 65 per cent versus mid-February and some out-station check-in desks remain closed.
![UAE airlines publish March 12 status bulletin as limited flights resume]()
For travellers who suddenly need to extend UAE visit visas or arrange fresh entry permits amid these shifting schedules, VisaHQ’s portal (https://www.visahq.com/united-arab-emirates/) offers quick digital applications, real-time status updates and courier-assisted document handling, streamlining the process without additional trips to consulates or immigration offices.
Corporate travel managers are therefore being urged to maintain flexible itineraries and to build in contingency days for critical assignments. For multinational employers, the practical advice is clear: keep staff abreast of rapid schedule changes, double-check that connecting sectors are operating before flying transit passengers into the UAE, and remind travellers that on-arrival hotel check-ins may be delayed because of crew-rest curfews and staggered immigration processing. With Ramadan commencing next week and Eid-al-Fitr holidays already announced for 19-22 March, seat availability is likely to tighten further, making early re-booking essential.
For travellers who suddenly need to extend UAE visit visas or arrange fresh entry permits amid these shifting schedules, VisaHQ’s portal (https://www.visahq.com/united-arab-emirates/) offers quick digital applications, real-time status updates and courier-assisted document handling, streamlining the process without additional trips to consulates or immigration offices.
Corporate travel managers are therefore being urged to maintain flexible itineraries and to build in contingency days for critical assignments. For multinational employers, the practical advice is clear: keep staff abreast of rapid schedule changes, double-check that connecting sectors are operating before flying transit passengers into the UAE, and remind travellers that on-arrival hotel check-ins may be delayed because of crew-rest curfews and staggered immigration processing. With Ramadan commencing next week and Eid-al-Fitr holidays already announced for 19-22 March, seat availability is likely to tighten further, making early re-booking essential.
