Travel alerts issued by the United States have prompted a wave of flight cancellations and delays across the United Arab Emirates, affecting operations at Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah airports. While the major carriers have largely kept their networks intact, regional routes show a patchwork of disruptions. Airlines have been working closely with airport authorities and security agencies to adjust schedules while maintaining safety standards.
Emirates and Etihad sustain most international services
Emirates posted no new network-wide suspension between September 18 and 21. Its latest travel notice, dated September 15, dealt only with entry rules for Thailand and did not address flight operations.
Individual Emirates flights, however, experienced modest timing shifts. Flight EK188 to Barcelona left Dubai at 7:17 a.m. on September 19, 42 minutes later than scheduled. Flights EK637 to Peshawar, EK541 to Ahmedabad and EK613 to Islamabad were delayed by 40, 66 and 46 minutes respectively. Flight EK511 to Delhi was delayed by 41 minutes and flight EK375 to Bangkok by 57 minutes.
Additional Emirates services to Milan, Zurich, Moscow and Ahmedabad recorded similar short-duration delays on September 18. The airline continues to direct passengers to its live flight-status portal for up-to-date information.
Etihad Airways issued a single operational notice for flight EY217 from Delhi to Abu Dhabi, delayed on September 19 after a technical issue. Passengers were advised to keep contact details current for SMS and email alerts.
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Further Etihad arrivals faced setbacks on September 20: flight EY770 from Nairobi arrived 69 minutes late, while EY014 from Atlanta was delayed by 37 minutes. The most severe disruption involved flight EY858 from Sochi, which reached Abu Dhabi 18 hours and 45 minutes behind schedule. Etihad continues directing passengers towards its live flight-status service.
Regional carriers trim Gulf connections
flydubai listed no fresh advisory in the review window, but movement data show cancellations on several routes. Flights FZ023 and FZ024 between Dubai and Bahrain were cancelled on September 19, as were FZ815 and FZ816 serving Abha. Additional flydubai services to Yanbu were withdrawn, with flights FZ817 and FZ818 cancelled the same day. A later cancellation of flight FZ029 to Bahrain was recorded for September 21.
Air Arabia also removed several Gulf links. Flights G9195 and G9196 between Sharjah and Abha, as well as G9068, G9124 and G9107 to Kuwait and Bahrain, were cancelled on September 19. It stated that the decision was part of an operational review aimed at preserving service reliability on core corridors.
India-focused routes saw some of the longest delays recorded. SpiceJet cancelled flight SG5113 from Dubai to Mumbai on September 19 and shifted the Amritsar service SG5155 from 11:25 a.m. to 12:48 p.m. SpiceJet flight SG5118 from Kochi to Dubai recorded a delay of nearly 11 hours on September 20. Air India flight AI4210 from Dubai to Delhi ran 40 minutes late. Air India Express flight IX179 from Delhi to Abu Dhabi recorded a delay of three hours and 17 minutes.
Air France issued the only fresh international advisory affecting UAE connectivity. On September 19, the airline announced a suspension of all Dubai flights through October 13 inclusive. Passengers booked before November 1 may postpone travel in the same class through November 30 without additional charges, and eligible passengers can receive a voucher valid for one year across Air France, KLM and Delta. Customers with cancelled flights can change or cancel bookings without charge.
