Middle East airspace disruption: IndiGo, Air India operate limited flights; Qatar, Etihad announce partial schedules

As conflict in West Asia continues to disrupt aviation routes, airlines are continuing to monitor the situation closely. Every airline with operations in the Middle East is issuing fresh advisories for passengers from time to time since operations are limited in the region.

Airspace closed or restricted

Due to the closure of airspace over Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar. The Dubai and Abu Dhabi airports in the UAE have severely restricted operations due to missile and drone attacks. International airlines have suspended several routes and the flights which are operating are doing so with delays.

IndiGo to operate flights to select Middle East destination

Budget carrier IndiGo said it will operate flights to five destinations in the Middle East on March 7, 2026, subject to prevailing safety conditions and regulatory approvals.

In a travel advisory posted on social media, the airline said the situation in and around the Middle East remains volatile but added that it has been working to help reunite passengers with their families over the past few days.

“To support customers during this time… IndiGo will be operating flights to five destinations in the Middle East on 7th March 2026,” the airline said, adding that safety of passengers and crew remains central to its operations.

The airline advised passengers to monitor updates as schedules may change depending on operational conditions.

Air India plans additional flights to bring stranded passengers home

Air India and Air India Express said they continue to operate scheduled services to Jeddah and Muscat, which have been assessed as safe for operations.

The airline also announced additional non-scheduled flights on March 7 to and from Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Muscat, Ras Al-Khaimah and Sharjah to transport stranded passengers back to India.

Air India said that while regional disruptions continue, its services to Europe and North America are operating normally through alternative routes.

Etihad resumes limited schedule from Abu Dhabi

UAE national carrier Etihad Airways said it has resumed a limited flight schedule, with operations continuing to remain subject to operational approvals and regional airspace conditions.

Emirates Support (@EmiratesSupport) posts, “All flights to and from Dubai have been suspended until further notice. ⚠️Please do not go to the airport. Emirates will share updates when available. We would like to thank our customers for their understanding and patience. The… pic.twitter.com/yjRAkufBXm — Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) March 7, 2026

Emirates Support (@EmiratesSupport) posts, “All flights to and from Dubai have been suspended until further notice. ⚠️Please do not go to the airport. Emirates will share updates when available. We would like to thank our customers for their understanding and patience. The… pic.twitter.com/yjRAkufBXm

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) March 7, 2026

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js According to the airline’s published schedule for March 8, flights are operating from Abu Dhabi to several destinations including Delhi, Mumbai and Ahmedabad, along with routes to cities across Europe, Asia and North America.

Emirates suspends all Dubai flights, asks passengers not to go to airport

Emirates has also announced a suspension of all flights to and from Dubai until further notice. In a post on X, the airline urged passengers not to go to the airport and said updates will be shared as the situation evolves. The airline added that travellers booked between February 28 and March 31 can either rebook their journey for travel on or before April 30 or request a refund through the airline or their travel agent.

Qatar Airways to run repatriation flights as airspace partially reopens

Qatar Airways said its regular flight operations remain temporarily suspended due to the closure of Qatari airspace, but repatriation flights are being arranged after authorities authorised a limited operating corridor.

The airline said it plans to operate repatriation flights on March 7 from Hamad International Airport in Doha to London, Paris, Madrid, Rome and Frankfurt.

Priority on these flights will be given to stranded passengers, families, elderly travellers and those with urgent medical or compassionate needs, the airline said, adding that seats have already been pre-allocated to affected passengers.

Qatar aviation authority allows limited emergency routes

Separately, Qatar’s General Authority of Civil Aviation announced the partial resumption of air traffic using “dedicated emergency air routes with limited capacity”, in coordination with the country’s armed forces and other authorities, according to the Qatar News Agency.

The authority said the emergency corridors are designed to facilitate essential aviation movements while broader airspace restrictions remain in place.

Why flights are being disrupted

Air travel across the Middle East has been severely affected after US and Israeli strikes on Iran and subsequent retaliatory attacks by Tehran on targets across the region, forcing multiple countries to close or restrict their airspace.

The escalating tensions have led to mass cancellations, rerouted flights and evacuation operations, affecting thousands of passengers travelling through major Gulf aviation hubs.

Airlines have urged travellers to check their flight status regularly and follow official advisories, as schedules remain subject to rapid changes depending on security and airspace conditions.

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