UAE Fully Reopens Airspace After Iran Conflict Restrictions Lifted

The United Arab Emirates has scrapped all flight restrictions that were imposed following the start of the U.S.-Israel military campaign against Iran, bringing air travel back to normal across the country. The General Civil Aviation Authority announced Saturday that all operations in UAE airspace have returned to standard status. In a post on X, the authority said the decision came after a thorough review of both operational and security conditions in coordination with relevant agencies, adding that monitoring would continue. The move is a major step for Dubai and Abu Dhabi, whose airports have been operating under limits since late February. Dubai International Airport, the world’s busiest for international passengers, and Abu Dhabi’s hub had faced severe disruptions. The conflict triggered widespread aviation chaos across the Middle East. Tehran’s retaliatory strikes on Gulf states forced at least eight nations—including the UAE, Iraq, Jordan, Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait—to fully or partially close their airspace. More than 11,000 flights in and out of the region were canceled in the conflict’s first days, according to aviation data firm Cirium. UAE carriers Emirates and flydubai temporarily grounded all flights, while Etihad suspended departures from Abu Dhabi. The UAE initially declared a temporary, partial airspace closure in late February, then began a gradual reopening in March. During a partial resumption from March 1 to 12, the country’s airports handled 1.4 million passengers and 7,839 air traffic movements, with national carriers operating at 44.6 percent of normal levels. A Pakistan-brokered ceasefire last month ended the fighting, clearing the way for Saturday’s full reopening. Signs of broader recovery are emerging: Qatar Airways separately confirmed it will resume flights to three Iraqi cities starting May 10, and plans to serve over 150 destinations by mid-June.