Middle East air travel disrupted: Emirates and Etihad resume limited flights amid missile threats
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Emirates and Etihad Airways announced a limited resumption of flights to major cities worldwide from the UAE today, Friday. However, the ongoing threat of missile launches has increased pressure on airlines struggling to accommodate passengers.
As most of the airspace in the Middle East remains closed due to concerns over missiles and drones since the start of the US-Israel war on Iran, governments are arranging charter flights and providing seats on a limited number of commercial flights to evacuate tens of thousands of people.
French Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot said that a French Air flight, chartered by the government to bring its citizens back from the UAE, had to turn back on Thursday due to missile launches in the region.
He added, “This situation reflects the instability in the region and the complexity of repatriating citizens to their home countries.”
Etihad Airways said today, Friday, that it will resume a limited flight schedule until March 19. Flights will operate from Abu Dhabi to 25 destinations, including London, Paris, Frankfurt, Delhi, New York, and Toronto.
The specialized flight tracking site FlightRadar24 reported that air traffic at Dubai Airport, usually considered the world’s busiest, doubled on Thursday compared to the previous day but remained at about 25 percent of its normal levels.
Emirates, in a statement late Thursday, said it is operating a reduced schedule to 82 destinations, including London, Sydney, Singapore, and New York, until further notice.
Limited operations at Middle Eastern airports have especially affected travelers flying from Europe to the Asia-Pacific region.
Data released by Cirium shows that Emirates, Qatar Airways, and Etihad Airways collectively carry about one-third of passengers from Europe to Asia and more than half of the passengers from Europe to Australia, New Zealand, and nearby Pacific islands.
Further data from the same company indicated that between February 28 and March 5, there were more than 44,000 scheduled flights to and from the Middle East, with over 25,000 flights canceled so far.