Etihad Airways has prolonged its fee-free change policy for tickets issued on or before 28 February, allowing rebooking until 15 June, while Qatar Airways and Emirates continue to run trimmed timetables amid the region’s first sustained lull in aerial attacks. Dubai (DXB) and Abu Dhabi (AUH) airports remain on reduced movements, and both hubs are telling passengers to travel only after receiving airline confirmation.
![UAE flight update: Etihad extends waiver as regional carriers rebuild networks]()
For travellers needing additional peace of mind amid these shifting schedules, VisaHQ can streamline the process of securing UAE entry permits and other regional visas, offering fast online applications and real-time status tracking at https://www.visahq.com/united-arab-emirates/ Knowing that documentation is in order lets passengers focus on flight availability rather than embassy queues.
European carriers such as Lufthansa, KLM and British Airways have pushed their Dubai suspensions into May, with some routes now formally closed until late October. This has left GCC airlines shouldering the bulk of repatriation traffic ahead of the Eid break and the busy MICE calendar, increasing load factors above 90 % on many services. Qatar Airways says it will restore service to more than 120 destinations by mid-May, but warns that ad-hoc cancellations remain possible. Indian carriers have filed extra flights to clear a backlog of migrant-worker traffic, while flydubai continues to flag sector-time extensions because of detours around closed FIRs. Travel managers are advising multinational firms to book flexible fares and to brief assignees on the possibility of last-minute rerouting via Doha or Istanbul. Analysts note that repeated conflict-driven waivers could cost Gulf carriers up to US $300 million in lost change fees this quarter, but say the policies are essential to preserve customer confidence.
For travellers needing additional peace of mind amid these shifting schedules, VisaHQ can streamline the process of securing UAE entry permits and other regional visas, offering fast online applications and real-time status tracking at https://www.visahq.com/united-arab-emirates/ Knowing that documentation is in order lets passengers focus on flight availability rather than embassy queues.
European carriers such as Lufthansa, KLM and British Airways have pushed their Dubai suspensions into May, with some routes now formally closed until late October. This has left GCC airlines shouldering the bulk of repatriation traffic ahead of the Eid break and the busy MICE calendar, increasing load factors above 90 % on many services. Qatar Airways says it will restore service to more than 120 destinations by mid-May, but warns that ad-hoc cancellations remain possible. Indian carriers have filed extra flights to clear a backlog of migrant-worker traffic, while flydubai continues to flag sector-time extensions because of detours around closed FIRs. Travel managers are advising multinational firms to book flexible fares and to brief assignees on the possibility of last-minute rerouting via Doha or Istanbul. Analysts note that repeated conflict-driven waivers could cost Gulf carriers up to US $300 million in lost change fees this quarter, but say the policies are essential to preserve customer confidence.
