Middle East unrest grounds flights as Dubai shutdown and airspace closures strand thousands of Irish passengers
Thousands of Irish holidaymakers are among the hundreds of thousands of air passengers stranded worldwide after unrest in the Middle East triggered sweeping flight cancellations and airspace closures. Dubai International Airport — the world’s busiest international hub and a key transit point for Irish travelers heading to Asia and Australia — is in a third consecutive day of disruption, rippling through schedules at Dublin Airport.
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More than 30 flights to and from Dublin have been canceled since Saturday, according to airport operator daa. The cuts span services linked to key Gulf hubs Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi, operated by Emirates, Qatar Airways and Etihad Airways.
“We’ve had 23 flights cancelled across Saturday and Sunday, and another 12 today, so that’s a significant number of passengers, probably talking in and around 10,000 passengers impacted so far,” said Graeme McQueen, media relations manager for daa. He added that Dublin is a connecting hub for many Middle Eastern flights and warned of continued uncertainty as airlines await clarity on airspace restrictions.
“The airlines need to make decisions, but they can’t do that until they see what happens to the airspace in the Middle East, so it is a bit of a waiting game for the days ahead, unfortunately,” McQueen said. “Normally, on a day like today, we’d have around 3,000 passengers going between Dublin and the Middle East and vice versa.”
McQueen said five aircraft are parked on stands in Dublin, ready to depart when services resume. “We just don’t know when that time will be at the moment,” he said, urging intending passengers to stay in close contact with their airlines for the latest flight status.
Emirates: limited departures, most flights still suspended
Emirates began operating a limited number of flights from Dubai this evening, prioritizing customers with earlier bookings and those already rebooked onto the restricted services. The airline said eligible customers are being contacted directly and advised others not to go to the airport unless notified. All other Emirates flights remain suspended until further notice, with updates issued via official channels. “The safety and security of our passengers and crew remain our highest priority,” the airline said.
Qatar Airways: operations paused pending airspace reopening
Qatar Airways said flight operations “remain temporarily suspended due to the closure of Qatari airspace.” Services will resume once the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority confirms a safe reopening. The carrier said it will provide a further update at 9 a.m. local time (12 p.m. Irish time) on Wednesday, 3 March.
Etihad Airways: suspension through Wednesday, limited exemptions
Etihad said scheduled commercial flights to and from Abu Dhabi remain suspended until 2 p.m. local time (6 p.m. Irish time) on Wednesday, 4 March. Some repositioning, cargo and repatriation flights may operate in coordination with UAE authorities and subject to strict approvals, it added. Passengers are advised not to travel to the airport unless contacted directly by Etihad.
The airline has introduced flexible options: guests holding Etihad tickets issued on or before 28 February 2026, with original travel dates up to 7 March 2026, may rebook free of charge onto Etihad-operated flights up to 18 March 2026. Customers due to travel on all Etihad flights until 7 March may also request a refund through the airline or via their travel agent. “Safety remains our absolute priority, and services will operate only once all safety criteria are met,” Etihad said.
Advice for travelers
With multiple Gulf hubs curtailed and knock-on effects across Europe, airlines are working to rebook passengers and arrange accommodation where required, McQueen said. He noted a surge in efforts to return to Ireland from Australia, Dubai and other long-haul destinations, but warned that rebooking depends on when airspace restrictions lift.
“Stay in contact with your airline,” McQueen said. “They’ll be able to tell you whether your flight is going to run or not.”
Further updates are expected from carriers and regulators as the regional situation evolves and airspace assessments continue.
By Abdiwahab Ahmed
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
