With the aftereffects of the U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran continuing to roil most of the Middle East, air travel into United Arab Emirates cities like Dubai and Abu Dhabi faces severe disruption.
On March 16, an Iranian drone attack hit a fuel tank and set off a fire at Dubai International (DXB) while several such attacks since the start of March have prompted evacuations of the airport.
After running evacuation flights for any travelers left stranded immediately after the strike on Feb. 28, local UAE airlines Emirates and Etihad Airways have been running sporadic commercial flights to cities around the world.
United Arab Emirates temporarily bans foreign airlines from Dubai airports
But amid periodic airspace closures and regular need for diversions, any efforts to return to regular service remain rife with challenges. International airlines such as British Airways and Lufthansa have suspended their service to Dubai International for months ahead while, on March 17, the UAE government took the extra step of temporarily banning all foreign airlines from flying into Dubai airports after the latest drone strike.
“Landing permission for aircraft operating into DXB/DWC airport(s) in the Emirate of Dubai is suspended until further notice,” the notice sent to foreign carriers reads. “The concerned authorities in the Emirate of Dubai will update you with regard to the removal of the suspension of landing permission.”
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This means that the only way to fly into or out of Dubai for the time being is through a local carrier such as Emirates, Etihad and low-cost airline flyDubai. India-based airlines such as IndiGo are particularly affected given the large number of flights they run between the two countries.
Airports in Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar were all targeted by retaliatory Iranian strikes.
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“If Indian carriers are not getting to operate from Dubai when Emirates is operating multiple flights per day, this is no level playing field,” one anonymous Indian airline official said to aviation news outlet ch-aviation. “The government should cap the number of flights Emirates and flydubai can operate.”
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Along with the UAE, airports in countries such as Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait have all been targeted by Iranian retaliatory attacks.
Immediately after the strike that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, Zayed International Airport (ABU) in Abu Dhabi was hit by an Iranian drone in an incident that resulted in one death and seven injuries while Bahrain International Airport (BAH) and Kuwait International Airport (KWI) were also hit without significant injuries to people inside.
The most recent drone attack on Dubai International led to dozens of flight diversions, including an Emirates flight that spent 10 hours in the air before turning back around to Paris and a Virgin Atlantic flight that turned back around to London after getting as close to Dubai as Saudi Arabia.
“We have strict criteria that must be met for a flight to continue into the region, and even though Dubai airport reopened shortly after its closure, our criteria for proceeding had not yet been met,” a Virgin Atlantic spokesperson said in a statement on the situation.
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