Thousands of passengers are stranded across the UAE due to airspace closures, flight cancellations and mid-air diversions due to the Iran-US-Israel war. While UAE authorities have been praised for assisting tourists, providing hotels and food vouchers along with transportation, many are racing to get on the next possible flight home. While geopolitical tensions continue to rise, a limited number of flights have been restarted to help stranded passengers reach their countries safely. Many airlines in the Gulf and companies connected to the region with their air networks have gradually started scheduling flights. Etihad Airways, one of the Gulf’s leading carriers, has released its latest limited flight schedule operating from Abu Dhabi to key destinations. The airline has listed flights for March 10, 11 and 12, so that passengers with existing bookings can be accommodated at the earliest.
Flight schedule from Abu Dhabi: March 10
The airline will operate flights to major destinations from March 10, 2026. Departure times and flight numbers are as follows:
| flight no. | To | departure time |
| EY246 | Ahmedabad | 18:30 |
| EY232 | Bangalore | 18:00 |
| EY406 | bangkok | 10:05 |
| EY713 | cairo | 08:35 |
| EY390 | Colombo | 10:35 |
| EY123 | frankfurt | 14:30 |
| EY430 | hanoi | 10:25 |
| EY352 | Hyderabad | 18:20 |
| EY615 | Jeddah | 08:05 |
| EY067 | London | 13:50 |
| EY376 | Male | 09:55 |
| EY440 | manila | 23:20 |
| EY079 | match | 14:10 |
| EY843 | moscow | 14:00 |
| EY206 | Mumbai | 18:10 |
| EY003 | new york | 08:50 |
| EY033 | Paris | 14:20 |
| EY412 | phuket | 10:15 |
| EY553 | Riyadh | 09:00 |
| EY021 | toronto | 08:15 |
| EY141 | Zurich | 14:40 |
Flight schedule from Abu Dhabi: March 11
| flight no. | To | departure time |
| EY246 | Ahmedabad | 18:30 |
| EY406 | bangkok | 10:05 |
| EY111 | barcelona | 03:20 |
| EY713 | cairo | 08:35 |
| EY334 | Cochin | 15:20 |
| EY390 | Colombo | 10:35 |
| EY216 | Delhi | 15:10 |
| EY218 | Delhi | 18:00 |
| EY121 | frankfurt | 03:30 |
| EY352 | Hyderabad | 18:20 |
| EY615 | Jeddah | 08:05 |
| EY486 | kuala lumpur | 10:25 |
| EY288 | Lahore | 15:40 |
| EY061 | London | 03:00 |
| EY067 | London | 13:50 |
| EY103 | madrid | 14:10 |
| EY376 | Male | 09:55 |
| EY081 | match | 03:40 |
| EY841 | moscow | 03:10 |
| EY843 | moscow | 14:00 |
| EY204 | Mumbai | 15:30 |
| EY206 | Mumbai | 18:10 |
| EY003 | new york | 08:25 |
| EY033 | Paris | 14:20 |
| EY412 | phuket | 10:15 |
| EY553 | Riyadh | 09:00 |
| EY083 | Rome | 14:30 |
| EY021 | toronto | 08:15 |
| EY141 | Zurich | 14:40 |
Flight schedule from Abu Dhabi: March 12
| flight no. | To | departure time |
| EY246 | Ahmedabad | 18:40 |
| EY232 | Bangalore | 18:30 |
| EY406 | bangkok | 10:05 |
| EY390 | Colombo | 10:35 |
| EY218 | Delhi | 18:00 |
| EY430 | hanoi | 10:25 |
| EY352 | Hyderabad | 18:20 |
| EY615 | Jeddah | 08:05 |
| EY067 | London | 13:50 |
| EY376 | Male | 09:55 |
| EY079 | match | 14:30 |
| EY843 | moscow | 14:00 |
| EY206 | Mumbai | 18:10 |
| EY003 | new york | 08:25 |
| EY033 | Paris | 14:20 |
| EY412 | phuket | 10:15 |
| EY553 | Riyadh | 09:00 |
| EY023 | toronto | 08:15 |
| EY141 | Zurich | 14:40 |
Etihad Airways issues passenger guidance
The airline has advised passengers not to go to the airport unless they have a confirmed booking or have been contacted directly by Etihad. All flights will operate only after procedural safety and security checks. According to the airline’s website, passengers with existing bookings will be accommodated on priority basis, others can purchase tickets available on etihad.com. Here are some points to note:
- Check your flight status on etihad.com before you travel.
- Make sure your contact details are up to date in the booking.
- Tickets issued on or before February 28, 2026, with travel dates up to March 21, can be booked free of charge on flights operated by Etihad until May 15, 2026.
- Refunds for flights through March 21 can be requested at etihad.com/en/help/refund-form or through your travel agent.
From March 6-19, airlines will schedule flights to Ahmedabad, Amsterdam, Athens, Bangkok, Beijing, Bengaluru, Boston, Cairo, Delhi, Dubai, Jeddah, Karachi, London (Heathrow), Manila, Melbourne, Mumbai, New York (JFK), Paris, Riyadh, Sydney, Tokyo and other locations. Additionally, the airline said all services are subject to operational approval and may be adjusted depending on airspace conditions. Passengers are advised to check the latest schedule online for specific days of operation.
Gulf Airlines resumes operations
Gulf carriers have briefly and gradually resumed operations to major destinations. Along with Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways is also assisting passengers in returning to their home base. On 10 March, the Indian Embassy in Qatar revealed that a thousand Indians stranded in Doha had flown on Qatar Airways in the past three days, helping ensure the safe return of people stranded in the country on transit or short-term visits.
Indian Airlines begins operations
Major Indian carriers including Air India, Air India Express, IndiGo, SpiceJet and Akasa have resumed operations in the Middle East. As of 9 March, these airlines had planned 50 inbound flights from the region, while also continuously monitoring conditions in West Asia. Air India operated 32 special flights from India to the UAE on March 9, along with 10 additional flights from Jeddah and Muscat. Additionally, Air India Express operated 14 other flights to and from Muscat. IndiGo resumed operations on a limited schedule, including 17 flights to and from Middle Eastern cities. The airline also offered free cancellation discounts to its customers in the Middle East and Istanbul, Türkiye. On 9 March the airline operated its first flight to Manchester after the airfield opened following the start of the Middle East war. However, the airline said on Sunday that the flight returned to its origin in Delhi following last-minute airspace restrictions linked to the emerging situation in the Middle East. Such disruptions highlight how global aviation is closely linked to geopolitical stability. The Middle East is one of the most important air travel corridors and any security threat in the region could disrupt passenger travel across Asia, Europe and Africa.