UAE airlines continued their cautious comeback on 8 April, with Etihad Airways telling passengers it will operate a ‘dynamic schedule’ that could change up to the day of travel.
![Etihad issues fresh advisory as UAE carriers rebuild network; Air India adds 16 extra flights]()
Travellers trying to keep pace with shifting entry rules can tap VisaHQ’s UAE portal (https://www.visahq.com/united-arab-emirates/) for real-time visa guidance, fast-track processing and dedicated support for last-minute crew or assignee movements—an easy way for HR and travel managers to stay compliant while flight plans remain fluid.
In a bulletin sent to corporate accounts, the flag-carrier said it expects to fly about 60 per cent of pre-war frequencies by the weekend, subject to route clearances from the General Civil Aviation Authority. The advisory coincided with a statement from Air India announcing 16 additional rotations to Dubai and Abu Dhabi between 9 and 13 April to repatriate stranded travellers and clear a backlog of business flyers from Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru and Kochi. The Indian flag-carrier has deployed Boeing 777-300ERs for the ad-hoc services and introduced capped “Vande UAE” fares in both directions. Emirates and flydubai remain on a reduced timetable, prioritising passengers whose earlier flights were cancelled. Meanwhile, British Airways has extended its suspension of Dubai flights until “later this month”, underscoring the patchy nature of capacity across long-haul markets. Companies with time-sensitive assignee moves are therefore advised to consider routing via Doha or Muscat, both of which have reopened fully. Beyond seat availability, the main hurdle for travellers is insurance. Several global underwriters have reinstated war-risk surcharges for flights to the UAE, pushing up corporate travel budgets. HR and global mobility teams should check whether their policies recognise Abu Dhabi and Dubai as active conflict zones; some insurers now require pre-trip security briefings before coverage is valid.
Travellers trying to keep pace with shifting entry rules can tap VisaHQ’s UAE portal (https://www.visahq.com/united-arab-emirates/) for real-time visa guidance, fast-track processing and dedicated support for last-minute crew or assignee movements—an easy way for HR and travel managers to stay compliant while flight plans remain fluid.
In a bulletin sent to corporate accounts, the flag-carrier said it expects to fly about 60 per cent of pre-war frequencies by the weekend, subject to route clearances from the General Civil Aviation Authority. The advisory coincided with a statement from Air India announcing 16 additional rotations to Dubai and Abu Dhabi between 9 and 13 April to repatriate stranded travellers and clear a backlog of business flyers from Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru and Kochi. The Indian flag-carrier has deployed Boeing 777-300ERs for the ad-hoc services and introduced capped “Vande UAE” fares in both directions. Emirates and flydubai remain on a reduced timetable, prioritising passengers whose earlier flights were cancelled. Meanwhile, British Airways has extended its suspension of Dubai flights until “later this month”, underscoring the patchy nature of capacity across long-haul markets. Companies with time-sensitive assignee moves are therefore advised to consider routing via Doha or Muscat, both of which have reopened fully. Beyond seat availability, the main hurdle for travellers is insurance. Several global underwriters have reinstated war-risk surcharges for flights to the UAE, pushing up corporate travel budgets. HR and global mobility teams should check whether their policies recognise Abu Dhabi and Dubai as active conflict zones; some insurers now require pre-trip security briefings before coverage is valid.
