On September 1, 2026, two SpiceJet flights departing from Dubai International Airport for Pune and Amritsar were delayed by more than 14 hours. At the same time, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency extended its airspace risk bulletin for the Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman until September 30, 2026. Officials noted that flight delays should not be directly linked to airspace warnings, but the regional security climate may necessitate short-notice operational and routing adjustments for airlines.
- SpiceJet flight SG052 to Pune delayed by over 14 hours
- SpiceJet flight SG5156 to Amritsar delayed by over 14 hours
- EASA extends airspace risk bulletin until September 30, 2026
- Other UAE airlines report various flight disruptions and cancellations
SpiceJet flight SG052, originally scheduled to depart Dubai at 12:05 a.m. on September 1 and arrive in Pune at 4:30 a.m., faced a departure delay pushing its estimated takeoff time between 2:30 p.m. and 3:40 p.m. Similarly, flight SG5156, scheduled to leave Dubai for Amritsar at 1:55 a.m. with an arrival time of 7:40 a.m., saw its departure estimated for 4:10 p.m. Other SpiceJet services also faced disruptions, including
flight SG5023 to Mumbai, delayed by over two and a half hours, and flight SG9112 to Delhi, delayed by over an hour.
EASA revised its Conflict Zone Information Bulletin on August 31, extending its validity to September 30, 2026. The bulletin covers the Bahrain, Kuwait, Doha, Emirates, and Muscat Flight Information Regions. EASA recommends that European operators avoid flying over the Arabian Gulf waters unless necessary for arrival or departure at local airports, citing residual risks such as missile or drone activity, air-defense operations, and falling debris. While airports remain open,
airlines are urged to maintain contingency plans.
Broader aviation disruptions were noted across the UAE, with
Emirates reporting some long-haul cancellations and delays, and Air Arabia canceling services between Sharjah and Kuwait, and Sharjah and Bahrain. Flydubai has advised passengers to arrive at the airport at least four hours early and to verify status updates, while Etihad reported adjustments to its Abu Dhabi-Bahrain and Abu Dhabi-Kuwait services. Passengers traveling to India are advised to monitor PNR status and official airline apps closely, as scheduled departure times may be subject to further revision.
