Dubai and Middle East flight disruption: Emirates, Etihad, Flydubai affected following a UK air visitors management failure and ongoing regional tensions

Flight disruptions within the Middle East proceed this week due to a UK air visitors management outage, the aftermath of Indonesia’s volcanic eruption, and escalating regional tensions. Passengers travelling in the present day can count on delays and cancellations when flying to and from the UK, Indonesia and several other Gulf states.

Due to a technical failure within the UK’s air visitors management system (NATS) on Tuesday, 8 September, there was a spate of flight cancellations and delays on routes to and from the nation in the present day. The aftermath of Mount Anak Krakatau’s eruption continues to disrupt air visitors in Indonesia, regardless of all eight affected airports being operational once more.

An escalation in regional tensions is including to the sample of disruption. The US navy has reportedly destroyed 5 Iranian oil tankers, whereas Iran’s Revolutionary Guard informed ship crews in Kuwaiti and Bahraini ports to evacuate and launched a missile assault on Jordan; the nation reported that 20 ballistic missiles have been fired in direction of its territory.

This exercise comes after missile exercise resumed final week (Tuesday 3 September), with the US saying it hit round 100 targets in Iran, concentrating on IRGC air defences, radar, communication websites and mine-laying tools, whereas Kuwait handled “heinous Iranian aggression” as a number of drones and missiles have been fired into its territory. Bahrain additionally intercepted a number of Iranian drones, and the UAE confirmed it had intercepted an Iranian drone over its territorial waters.

On Tuesday, 1 September, US embassies within the area issued an alert to residents within the Middle East, warning of potential airspace closures, flight cancellations and different journey disruption.

The battle, now in its seventh month, continues to be at a diplomatic stalemate because the US continues to use strain with a naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. Since the preliminary ceasefire settlement broke down in July, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain and the UAE have all confronted missile and drone assaults, alongside Jordan.

Flights to and from Kuwait, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia are going through ongoing cancellations. Several worldwide airways have prolonged route cancellations to the Middle East after the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) renewed its battle zone advisory for the Gulf, urging airways to keep away from airspace over the waters of the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar till Wednesday, 30 September.

As a results of the fluctuating scenario, these travelling from, to, or via the area ought to stay ready for potential flight disruptions.

Here’s what travellers with flights booked throughout the Middle East have to know proper now.

This article was up to date with the most recent info on Wednesday, 9 September 2026

Which airways are working within the Middle East?

All airways with flights into nations with restricted airspace are at the moment working with diminished and restricted schedules, together with these headed for Dubai International Airport, Abu Dhabi’s Zayed International Airport, Bahrain International Airport, Doha’s Hamad International Airport, Kuwait International Airport, Tehran’s Imam Khomeini International Airport and Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport.