On March 2 Etihad Airways resumed its flight operations after a partial and limited reopening of airspace issued by the United Arab Emirates General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) . The airports reopened in the northwestern part of the country, including Dubai International. The first flight under the reopening departed for London Heathrow at 2:39 p.m. local time on Monday.
Airspace Reopening in the Area
The previous closure of Emirate airspace has been lifted as a result of a Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM). Etihad Airways is not the only airline to embark on the journey of resuming operations in the wake of the reopening. Emirates (Dubai International) already said it would recommence their flights as of the evening of March 2. This follows an earlier reopening of airports farther away from the border with Iran. In attempting to keep safety as a priority, the airlines are operating with a limited number of passengers. There have been discrepancies between statements posted on company social media accounts and information on their websites.
How Did this Come About?
The airspace had been closed on February 28, 2026 after the US and Israel’s attack on Iran which started a prolonged series of retaliatory attacks in and around the gulf states, including the United Arab Emirates. This conflict caused most airlines to give a wide berth to the airspace in and surrounding Iran. The cancellations of companies such as Qatar Airways amidst Middle East airspace closures have been followed by a rerouting of services and updated guidance for passengers.
Travel Radar will continue to bring updates about the situation as new information is coming out. Are people you know in the affected areas?
