On September 2, 2026, rising military tensions between the United States and Iran significantly impacted aviation services across the Gulf region. Although airspace in the UAE, Bahrain, and Kuwait remained open, Dubai International Airport and Abu Dhabi's Zayed International Airport experienced multiple delays and schedule adjustments. Indian routes to and from Delhi, Chennai, Kochi, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Calicut, Mumbai, Kolkata, Jaipur, and Amritsar were heavily affected.
- Airspace in UAE, Bahrain, and Kuwait remained open
- Dubai and Abu Dhabi airports faced delays
- Indian routes heavily affected
In Abu Dhabi, Etihad Airways reported delays on services including EY213 (Delhi), EY343 (Chennai), EY331 (Kochi), and EY239 (Bengaluru). Air Arabia Abu Dhabi flights 3L112 (Ahmedabad) and 3L201 (Calicut), along with Air India Express flight IX179 (Delhi), also faced scheduling setbacks.
At Dubai International Airport, Emirates reported delayed arrivals for flights EK505 (Mumbai), EK511 (New Delhi), EK565 (Bengaluru), EK531 (Kochi), and EK571 (Kolkata). SpiceJet also saw disruptions, with Dubai-to-India flights SG5023 (Mumbai), SG5158 (Jaipur), SG5156 (Amritsar), SG5153 (Kozhikode), and SG5117 (Kochi) affected. Inbound SpiceJet flights SG5118 (Kochi), SG5157 (Jaipur), and SG5155 (Amritsar) also faced delays.
Disruptions extended beyond the UAE, with Air India Express flight IX374 from Bahrain to Calicut facing delays amidst reports of aerial defence activity in Bahrain. Additionally, Kuwait Airways flight KAC304 from Mumbai to Kuwait was delayed following reports of a security incident. Airlines noted that despite open airspace, military activity necessitated changes in routing, crew duty hours, and aircraft rotation.
Passengers are advised to monitor flight status via official airline channels and PNR references rather than airport display boards, as timings may shift on short notice.