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  • March 2, 2026

Emirates, Air India and Etihad resume limited flights: Check Refund & Rescheduling Policy

Emirates, Air India and Etihad resume limited flights: Check Refund & Rescheduling Policy
worldnrinews January 9, 2018

DUBAI March 2: UAE carriers Emirates, flydubai and Etihad Airways will resume a limited number of flights on Monday, primarily to repatriate stranded passengers, as airlines across the region grapple with severe disruptions caused by escalating hostilities involving Iran, Israel and the United States.

Israeli and U.S. strikes on Iran, followed by Tehran’s retaliation, forced the closure of airspace across large parts of the Middle East, including the United Arab Emirates, and led to the shutdown of major hubs such as Dubai and Doha. The UAE’s civil aviation authority will begin operating “special flights” across the country’s airports to help some of the tens of thousands of stranded passengers leave the region, state news agency WAM reported.

Dubai Airports said a limited resumption of operations would begin later on Monday, with a small number of flights permitted from Dubai International and Al Maktoum International. DXB, which handled nearly 100 million passengers last year, sustained minor damage on Sunday after being hit during Iranian retaliatory attacks that extended beyond U.S. bases and interests in the region.

Emirates and flydubai said they would resume a small number of flights on Monday evening. flydubai said four flights to Russian destinations, including Kazan, would depart from DXB, while services from three Pakistani cities and from Hargeisa in Somaliland were scheduled to return to Dubai. Abu Dhabi-based Etihad said it would operate a limited number of repositioning, cargo and repatriation flights “in coordination with UAE authorities and subject to strict operational and safety approvals,” adding that all scheduled commercial services to and from Abu Dhabi remained cancelled.

Despite this, Etihad’s website showed several departures from Zayed International Airport on Monday to destinations including London and Paris, with additional flights scheduled. The airline did not specify which services were being used for repatriation. Earlier, Etihad said all flights to and from Abu Dhabi were suspended until 1000 GMT on Tuesday.

Check refund & rescheduling policy
What if your flight has also been cancelled because of the Israel-Iran War? Can you cancel your ticket and get a refund? Will you get just an option to reschedule your flight, or you won’t be given any of the options? Check what leading airlines from India and the Gulf region say about their cancelled ticket policy (as posted on their respective social media accounts as on March 2, 2026).

Air India’s statement about cancelled flights
Air India on its social media posted: “As part of our commitment to your safety and convenience, Air India is extending full flexibility if your travel to/from the Middle East is impacted due to the ongoing situation. For bookings made on or before February 28, 2026, with travel originally planned up to 5 March 2026, you can: Reschedule your flight at no additional charge, or request a full refund to your original form of payment.”

Emirates’ statement about cancelled flights
Emirates on its social media stated: “Rebook on an alternate flight. You can rebook on another flight to your intended destination for travel on or before 20 March. If you booked your flight with a travel agent, please contact them. If you booked with us directly, contact us at http://emirat.es/support. Request for refund. You can request for a refund of your ticket by completing the refund form at http://emirat.es/refund if you booked with us directly. If you booked your flights with a travel agent, please contact them.”

Qatar Airways’ statement about cancelled flights
Qatar Airways stated: “Qatar will resume operations once the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority announces the safe reopening of Qatari airspace. A further update will be provided on March 3 by 09:00 Doha time (06:00 UTC). Passengers are advised to monitor the latest flight information via http://qatarairways.com or the Qatar Airways mobile app.”

Indigo’s statement about cancelled flights
IndiGo has cancelled flights on March 2 amid the rising tensions in a few select regions.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), IndiGo said: “We recognise that changes to travel plans can cause inconvenience. Customers whose bookings are impacted may opt for alternate flight options or claim a full refund via https://t.co/9VuwyhxE9G.”
On its official website, IndiGo stated: For bookings made on or before February 28, 2026, full flexibility is available for travel to and from the Middle East and select international sectors until March 7, 2026.”

Separately, a Lufthansa A380 operated by Lufthansa departed Abu Dhabi earlier on Monday with only two pilots on board, as the aircraft was repositioned to Munich. The airline said passenger transport was not possible.

Emirates said it would restart services in phases, prioritising passengers with earlier bookings. Customers rebooked on the limited flights will be contacted directly. “Please do not go to the airport unless you have been notified,” the airline said, adding that all other flights remain suspended until further notice.

Operational updates will be shared via the airline’s website and official social media channels. Emirates said passenger and crew safety remains its top priority.

Authorities have not yet provided a timeline for the full restoration of normal flight operations.

The partial reopening follows widespread airspace closures across the Gulf after missile and drone strikes linked to the escalating conflict. Several airports reported damage over the weekend, forcing airlines to suspend services and leaving tens of thousands of passengers stranded in major transit hubs including Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha.

Dubai International — the world’s busiest international airport — had suspended regular operations amid safety concerns, severely disrupting global air travel and hub-and-spoke networks operated by Gulf carriers, including Emirates, Etihad and Qatar Airways.

Globally, airlines have cancelled or rerouted flights to avoid affected airspace. Indian carriers alone scrapped hundreds of services over the weekend, while several major Asian and European airlines suspended routes to the Middle East.

Air India Express will restart flights to Muscat on March 3. This comes as the Middle East conflict causes widespread airline cancellations. Services to several other Middle Eastern destinations remain suspended. Indian carriers have faced significant disruptions. Passengers are advised to check flight statuses regularly.

Air India Express announced on Monday that it will resume flight operations to and from Muscat starting March 3, even as broader airline disruptions persist due to the escalating Middle East conflict triggered by Israel’s and U.S. military strikes on Iran.

An airline spokesperson said the resumption will include scheduled services between Muscat and Delhi, Kochi, Kozhikode, Mangaluru, Mumbai and Tiruchirappalli. The carrier’s first flight from Muscat will depart for Tiruchirappalli at 10:25 hours local time on March 3. However, services to Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE will remain suspended until 23:59 hrs IST (18:29 hrs UTC) on March 3, 2026, the spokesperson added.

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