Amidst repatriations and a gradual return to operations, air traffic is slowly picking up as several airlines begin reopening some of their routes.
The recovery is starting timidly in the Middle East. After several days of paralysis, long-haul air traffic is gradually resuming. On Friday, several Emirati airlines relaunched some of their international routes, particularly to Europe, with reduced schedules.
Key Points
- Etihad Airways (Abu Dhabi): Restarted limited commercial flights from March 6–19 to over 70 destinations including Paris, London, New York, and Tel Aviv. Prices are unusually high — €1,900–2,000 for economy one-way, compared to €350–650 normally.
- Emirates (Dubai): Operating reduced services to 82 destinations such as Sydney, Singapore, and New York, aiming to restore its full network soon. Transit passengers are only accepted if their connecting flights are confirmed.
- Qatar Airways (Doha): Doha’s hub remains closed, but the airline is running emergency flights from Oman and Saudi Arabia.
- Capacity & Safety: Dubai International Airport is running at about 25% of normal traffic. The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has extended its high-risk advisory until March 11.
- Repatriation Efforts: France and other states are organizing special flights to bring citizens home. Over 15,000 people, including many French nationals, have already been evacuated.
- Future Outlook: The crisis raises questions about the vulnerability of Gulf hubs and whether ultra-long-range aircraft could shift demand toward more direct flights.
Abu Dhabi-Paris flights available again
Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways announced on Friday the resumption of a limited commercial flight schedule. From March 6 to 19, the carrier plans rotations between the capital of the United Arab Emirates and more than 70 destinations including London, Paris, Frankfurt, Delhi, New York, Toronto and Tel Aviv.
Another major player in the Gulf, Emirates has also started to revive its rotations. The Dubai-based airline is currently operating a reduced schedule to 82 destinations, including London, Sydney, Singapore and New York, with the aim of “a return to 100% of its network” in the coming days. For now, the operator only accepts passengers transiting through Dubai if their connecting flight is maintained.
The situation remains more uncertain for Qatar Airways. The hub in Doha, Qatar, remains closed. However, the company continues to organize relief flights from Oman and Saudi Arabia to allow passengers to move in the region.
For the time being, activity at Dubai International Airport remains much lower than normal. According to data from the air tracking site Flightradar24, the hub – usually one of the busiest in the world – is still operating at only about 25% of its usual capacity. The European aviation safety regulator (EASA) has also extended its high-risk warning until 11 March.
