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Airlines Etihad and Emirates have recently announced limited flight services from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to the United Kingdom over the coming days. Emirates is actively working toward the restoration of its entire flight network following the partial reopening of airspace in the region. This partial reopening comes after widespread cancellations of thousands of flights across the Middle East during the past week, which left many British nationals stranded. The cancellations were a consequence of escalating tensions triggered by US and Israeli strikes on Iran, which led to retaliatory attacks by Iran throughout the region.
To aid British citizens, the UK government arranged a second chartered flight departing from Muscat, the capital of Oman, on Friday. This followed an earlier government flight that landed at Stansted Airport on the same day, although it experienced a 24-hour delay due to technical problems. Despite the availability of these charters, a government minister emphasized that commercial flights remain the most likely and fastest means of exit for those stranded. However, the rapidly changing nature of the conflict means that the situation surrounding air travel could shift swiftly.
Etihad Airways has confirmed it will resume limited scheduled flights from Abu Dhabi starting Friday, after conducting thorough safety and security reviews. New flights will operate to several UK destinations including London Heathrow and Manchester, alongside various cities in Europe such as Barcelona, Brussels, Dublin, Rome, Paris, and Milan. The airline intends to prioritize passengers with existing bookings, although new tickets are also available for purchase on their website. Importantly, Etihad cautions travelers against going to the airport unless they have been directly contacted or already hold confirmed reservations on these flights.
Similarly, Emirates has announced new flights departing from Dubai to multiple UK cities including Manchester, Birmingham, London Heathrow, London Gatwick, and Edinburgh on Friday and Saturday. As with Etihad, passengers with previous bookings will receive priority. Additionally, the airline will accept transit passengers in Dubai only if their onward flights remain operational. Emirates reported transporting approximately 30,000 passengers out of Dubai on Thursday alone and has flown 35 flights to the UK since resuming services. By Saturday, Emirates is expected to be operating 106 return flights daily to 83 destinations worldwide, including 11 flights per day between Dubai and five UK airports.
In contrast, no commercial flights are currently departing from Qatar due to a temporary closure of Qatari airspace, as mandated by the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority. Qatar Airways has stated it will provide an update to passengers by 09:00 local time on Saturday and is working continuously to organize relief flights wherever feasible. Passengers affected by this disruption are being contacted directly and are advised not to visit airports unless they have an official flight confirmation.
Oman has become a crucial hub for travelers seeking to leave the Middle East, with flights from Muscat continuing to operate. British Airways announced additional flights from Oman to London Heathrow, departing daily at 02:30 local time from 9 to 12 March. These seats are reserved for BA customers already in Oman or the UAE with existing bookings. Previous flights from Oman to London Heathrow on 6, 7 and 8 March have reached full capacity. Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy shared that the government is coordinating with commercial airlines to facilitate the return of British nationals and hopes to arrange more charter flights from Oman in the near future. He also highlighted the importance of safe transport for people reaching the airport, noting the risks posed by drone or missile fire in the area.
Meanwhile, Bahrain’s airspace remains closed, resulting in no flights departing from Bahrain International Airport. Gulf Air, which operates out of Bahrain, plans to provide passenger updates at 11:00 local time on Saturday.
For those wondering about travel from the UK to the Middle East, the Foreign Office has advised against all but essential travel to Bahrain, Kuwait, the UAE, and Qatar due to ongoing risks. Although many flights from the UK to the region have been cancelled following recent missile strikes, some services continue. Kuwait Airways plans a flight from Manchester to Dammam Airport departing at 10:00 GMT on Saturday, catering to travelers heading back to the Middle East. Additionally, Virgin Atlantic and Emirates have scheduled flights from London Heathrow to Dubai on Friday and Saturday
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