Mohd Umardaraz, a passenger from Bijnor Uttar Pradesh, is stranded in Terminal 3 of the Delhi airport after his Kuwait-bound flight was canceled due to airspace restrictions over Iran and parts of the Middle East, March 1, 2026 in New Delhi, India.
Arvind Yadav | Hindustan Times | Getty Images
Dubai-based Emirates received permission from local authorities to resume a “limited number” of flights as early as Monday evening, a sign the airline is preparing to resume service to the region after thousands of flight cancellations.
Separately, Israeli airline El Al announced on Monday that it is considering chartering private jets to bring stranded Israeli citizens home.
The announcement signals a possible improvement after air travel was suspended across large swaths of the Middle East over the weekend following the U.S. and Israeli attack on Iran and subsequent retaliatory strikes.
The attack shut down much of the region’s airspace, stranding hundreds of thousands of customers around the world and canceling thousands of flights, including for those who were not flying to or from the area, as planes were unable to pass through those areas. Dubai, United Arab Emirates, is one of the world’s busiest air travel hubs.
The Airports Authority, which owns and manages Dubai’s airports, said a small number of flights will be allowed to operate from Dubai International Airport and Dubai World Central Al Maktoum International Airport, but advised travelers to check with their airlines.
Meanwhile, Emirates said it would begin operating a “limited number of flights” from Monday night and urged customers not to go to the airport unless notified by the airline.
“We are prioritizing customers who booked early,” the company said in a post on X. “All other flights will be suspended until further notice.”
El Al is considering offering flights for its class jet customers from European airports to Taba, Egypt, near the southern tip of Israel, or Aqaba, across the Jordanian border, but said the plan would require government approval.
Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways said on Monday that all commercial flights to and from Abu Dhabi will be suspended until Wednesday afternoon local time, but some cargo and repatriation flights may operate “in accordance with strict operational and safety protocols.”
