UAE flight delays and cancellations continue at Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah airports amid Iran-US tensions

Disruption overview

Flights at Dubai International Airport, Zayed International Airport, and Sharjah International Airport were still seeing delays and cancellations on 28 September 2026 after disruption that began over the weekend of 26–27 September. Monday morning brought another round of changes, including a canceled flydubai service to Abha, late departures for Emirates and Etihad Airways flights, and canceled Air Arabia flights to Kuwait and Bahrain. The disruption is linked to wider Iran-US tensions and the security risk around Gulf airspace, even though all 3 UAE airports remain open. Several foreign airlines, including Air France, KLM, and SWISS, have also kept Dubai suspensions in place, and flydubai is advising travelers to arrive 4 hours early. Although compensation is unlikely in cases like this, airlines should still provide care and assistance if your journey is heavily delayed or canceled.

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Disruption details

Flights at Dubai International Airport, Zayed International Airport, and Sharjah International Airport were still facing delays and cancellations on Monday, 28 September 2026, as disruption linked to rising tensions involving Iran continued across the UAE.

The problems began over the weekend of 26–27 September and rolled into another unsettled morning for travelers. For passengers, that meant more uncertainty after a weekend of changing plans.

All 3 airports remained open, but Monday brought the same pattern of late departures and outright cancellations. At Dubai, the disruption affected both regional and longer-haul services, while Abu Dhabi and Sharjah also saw early knock-on delays and schedule cuts.

Some of the disrupted services on Monday morning included:

• flydubai flight FZ815 from Dubai to Abha was canceled.

• Emirates flight EK161 to Dublin, flynas flight XY216 to Riyadh, and 3 SpiceJet services to Mumbai and New Delhi left behind schedule.

• Etihad Airways flights EY653 to Kuwait and EY551 to Riyadh departed late from Abu Dhabi.

• Air Arabia canceled Sharjah-Kuwait flights G9068 and G9124, plus Sharjah-Bahrain flights G9107 and 3L020, with the last service operated by its Abu Dhabi arm.

The 4 UAE-based carriers are responding in different ways. Emirates and Etihad Airways are keeping most flights running but have acknowledged scattered delays. flydubai and Air Arabia have reduced parts of their short-haul Gulf schedules, and flydubai is advising travelers to arrive 4 hours before departure.

The disruption isn't tied to a single technical issue at the airports. Instead, it's being driven by wider Iran-US tensions and the security risk around Gulf airspace. Tehran has said it is prepared for renewed conflict after Washington rejected an Iranian proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and the UK, US, Australia, and Canada are still warning citizens that sudden airspace closures and flight cancellations remain possible.

The UAE has also suspended all flights by Iranian carriers indefinitely, in line with US sanctions on companies engaging with Iran. That wider backdrop is shaping international schedules too.

Air France, Singapore Airlines, KLM, ITA Airways, and SWISS have extended their suspension of Dubai flights through at least 24 October. Air Canada has canceled Dubai services until mid-January 2027.

Philippine Airlines plans to resume on 2 October, while Wizz Air, Lufthansa, Eurowings, and British Airways are targeting late October or November returns, although those dates could still change. For now, the UAE's main airports are operating, but schedules remain volatile and could shift quickly if the regional security picture worsens.

Because this disruption is linked to wider security concerns outside the airlines' control, compensation under EC 261 is unlikely for affected passengers on EU-operated services. Although compensation is unlikely here, that doesn't mean you're without support. Airlines should still provide care and assistance during major delays or cancellations, including meals, refreshments, accommodation if needed, and rebooking or a refund. If your trip has been affected, you can use AirHelp's free flight checker to understand what rights may apply in your case.

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