Etihad Airways has resumed limited operations from its hub in Abu Dhabi on Monday, 2nd of March. Flight EY67 to London Heathrow departed Abu Dhabi at 14:39 local time, becoming the carrier’s first service to operate following airspace closures due to military action and strikes across the Middle East.
Additional flights also departed, including EY843 to Moscow, EY41 to Amsterdam, EY33 to Paris Charles de Gaulle, EY204 to Mumbai, EY300 to Islamabad, EY216 to Delhi, EY555 to Riyadh, and EY611 to Jeddah. These destinations represent key long-haul and regional routes within Etihad Airways’ network.
Alongside passenger services, the airline also conducted repositioning and cargo flights in coordination with the authorities in the United Arab Emirates, including the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA).
A spokesperson for the airline stated that safety remains its priority and that all other passenger services remain cancelled until 14:00 UAE time on Tuesday, 3rd of March.
Limited Emirates and flydubai services out of Dubai
Emirates has announced that a limited number of services are expected to operate this evening, Monday, 2 March. The airline has not yet published the specific routes. EK500, the airline’s first service, departed Dubai destined for Mumbai at 17:12 local time.
flydubai confirmed a small number of flights will operate today, including FZ8489 Moscow, FZ8205 Kazan, FZ8263 Koltsovo, and FZ8081 Novosibirsk. Inbound services are also scheduled to arrive from Hargeisa, Islamabad, Multan, and Sialkot.
The airline said the situation remains dynamic and that the safety of passengers and crew remains its priority.
Why Etihad Airways has been able to operate
Etihad Airways has been able to operate selected flights because the UAE has opened controlled flight corridors under strict government supervision. As the home carrier of the country, the airline can coordinate directly with the GCAA and operate approved routes that avoid restricted airspace.
This allows limited passenger and operational movements to resume and enables the airline to reposition flight crews that are overseas. The flights support both essential travel and operational requirements rather than a full restoration of the schedule.
Other Gulf airlines remain grounded
All other major carriers based in the Gulf region remain grounded as airspaces are still closed. Qatar Airways remains grounded with an update due at 09:00 local time on Tuesday, 3rd of March.
Since airspace closed over the weekend, over 9,500 flights have been cancelled, affecting 1.5 million passengers. Major global hubs such as Dubai (DXB), Doha (DOH), Abu Dhabi (AUH), and Bahrain (BAH) have not seen a single flight since Saturday.
For a full list of affected airlines and current operational status, read our full article.
This is a breaking news story, we will bring you the latest as it develops.
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