Air passengers in and out of the UAE faced another day of disruption on 8 October as security concerns linked to the Iran conflict continued to ripple through Gulf airspace. Gulf News reported dozens of delays and cancellations at Dubai International (DXB) and Abu Dhabi’s Zayed International, affecting routes to Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and beyond. Iranian carriers remain barred from UAE airports, while European airlines are only gradually restoring services. Among the hardest-hit were low-cost carrier flydubai, which scrubbed flights to Moscow’s Vnukovo and multiple Saudi destinations, and Air Arabia, which cancelled services from Sharjah to Kuwait and Bahrain. Emirates axed its morning Dubai–Kuwait rotation, and Etihad recorded late arrivals on three Kuwait and Dammam services. Despite the turmoil, the Lufthansa Group confirmed plans to reinstate up to 36 weekly flights to Dubai from late October, signalling cautious confidence in the market. Travel-risk consultants say the mix of cancellations and restarts reflects dynamic threat assessments that can change within hours. Corporate mobility managers are urged to maintain 24/7 tracking of staff itineraries, book flexible fares and build in buffer days for project kick-offs. Travellers should arrive at UAE airports four hours before departure and check airline apps repeatedly, as gate changes and last-minute diversions remain common.
Source: Gulf News
