Kamal Ghorui
In a recent update coming from the United Arab Emirates, air traffic operations across the UAE have returned to normal after a temporary shutdown by authorities amid escalating regional tensions. The update was confirmed by UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) on their X handle. It reads, “Air traffic operations return to normal across UAE Airspace”The authority explained that the decision was taken after evaluating aviation safety risks following the ongoing regional developments and threats in the air in the Gulf. The GCAA also mentioned that the situation is being closely monitored. However, The latest confirmation from the GCAA indicates that UAE airspace is now fully operational, allowing airlines to restore schedules across the country’s major airports.
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Earlier this morning, the GCAA had announced the temporary and full closure of the country’s airspace to ensure the safety of flights and air crews. “Temporary and partial closure of UAE airspace as an exceptional precautionary measure”, it mentioned.
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Dubai airport operations briefly disruptedThe airspace restrictions temporarily affected operations at Dubai International Airport (DBX), which is among the busiest international airports in the world.On March 16, the airport authorities had confirmed that flights were temporarily suspended after an incident near the airport triggered. A fire was reported close to the airport because of which several flights were affected. Some got delayed, some were diverted and halted. It was only after the safety checks were completed that operations began resuming gradually.Emirates flight forced to return to Kochi (March 16 incident)One of the flights that was affected during the disruption was an Emirates Chennai (Cochin International Airport in Kerala) to Dubai flight. Flight EK533 departed Kochi at around 4:30 am on Monday (March 16, 2026) with 325 passengers onboard. But four hours into the journey, the aircraft was instructed to return following the temporary shutdown of airport at Dubai. It was taken back to Kochi.Airlines gradually restoring schedulesWith the confirmation that air traffic across the UAE has returned to normal, airlines are now gradually restoring regular flight schedules to and from Dubai and other airports in UAE.What travellers should do Though it was a short-lived disruption, the incident shows how quickly security disturbances can affect aviation in the Gulf region. These aviation hubs serve as a major global transit hub connecting Asia, Europe and Africa. Meanwhile, authorities emphasised that the temporary airspace restriction was purely precautionary and for safety reasons.
