Flight-tracking data analysed by Qatar Tribune show that Emirates, Etihad and Qatar Airways have restored around 90 per cent of the departures they operated on 27 February, the day before Iran-US hostilities erupted. The rebound follows last week’s interim ceasefire agreement and a tentative plan to reopen closed air corridors, both of which have eased route diversions and crew-duty limitations. For the UAE’s two flag carriers the timing could not be better. The northern summer sees peak corporate relocations and MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) traffic heading to Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
![Gulf Carriers – including Emirates and Etihad – Recover to 90 % of Pre-War Schedules]()
Amid this uptick, companies still need to keep an eye on visa formalities. VisaHQ’s dedicated UAE page (https://www.visahq.com/united-arab-emirates/) allows mobility teams to arrange entry permits for staff and their families in just a few clicks, providing real-time status updates and expert support that dovetail neatly with dynamic flight schedules.
Restored frequencies translate directly into greater seat inventory for global mobility programmes, lower reliance on costly multi-stop routings and improved baggage-connection reliability for assignees and project cargo. Even so, challenges persist. Flydubai and Air Arabia remain at 57 per cent and 75 per cent of pre-war levels respectively, largely because their narrow-body fleets face longer block times on diverted regional segments. European and Asian regulators have yet to lift conflict-zone advisories, meaning that many non-Gulf carriers still avoid UAE airports altogether – a factor that keeps fares elevated on the most popular expatriate origin markets such as London, Frankfurt and Sydney. Tim Clark, President of Emirates, told Reuters the airline is prioritising passenger confidence through real-time safety briefings and flexible rebooking policies. Meanwhile Etihad has rolled out complimentary medical travel insurance for visitors to Abu Dhabi from July through December, an incentive aimed squarely at corporate travellers wary of residual risk. Industry analysts expect a full network recovery only once over-flight permissions are normalised and jet-fuel prices – still up 18 per cent year-on-year – retreat further. Mobility managers should therefore budget conservatively for premium-cabin fares through Q3 and lock in assignment travel early where possible.
Amid this uptick, companies still need to keep an eye on visa formalities. VisaHQ’s dedicated UAE page (https://www.visahq.com/united-arab-emirates/) allows mobility teams to arrange entry permits for staff and their families in just a few clicks, providing real-time status updates and expert support that dovetail neatly with dynamic flight schedules.
Restored frequencies translate directly into greater seat inventory for global mobility programmes, lower reliance on costly multi-stop routings and improved baggage-connection reliability for assignees and project cargo. Even so, challenges persist. Flydubai and Air Arabia remain at 57 per cent and 75 per cent of pre-war levels respectively, largely because their narrow-body fleets face longer block times on diverted regional segments. European and Asian regulators have yet to lift conflict-zone advisories, meaning that many non-Gulf carriers still avoid UAE airports altogether – a factor that keeps fares elevated on the most popular expatriate origin markets such as London, Frankfurt and Sydney. Tim Clark, President of Emirates, told Reuters the airline is prioritising passenger confidence through real-time safety briefings and flexible rebooking policies. Meanwhile Etihad has rolled out complimentary medical travel insurance for visitors to Abu Dhabi from July through December, an incentive aimed squarely at corporate travellers wary of residual risk. Industry analysts expect a full network recovery only once over-flight permissions are normalised and jet-fuel prices – still up 18 per cent year-on-year – retreat further. Mobility managers should therefore budget conservatively for premium-cabin fares through Q3 and lock in assignment travel early where possible.
