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Flight cancellations by Middle East airlines drop to 14% as aviation sector recovers
UAE airlines Emirates, Etihad, flydubai and Air Arabia currently fly to multiple destinations in India, Pakistan, the US, Australia, the UK and other major countries
- PUBLISHED: Tue 24 Mar 2026, 5:55 PM
[Editor's Note: Follow Khaleej Times live blog amid US-Israel-Iran war for the latest regional developments.]
The aviation sector in the UAE and the Middle East continues to recover from the regional military conflict as airlines increase their frequency.
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According to data shared by aviation analytics company Cirium, the number of departing flight cancellations has come down from its peak of 65 per cent on March 3 to 14 per cent on March 23.
Of the 2,452 flights operated on March 23, only 333, or 13.48 per cent, were cancelled or did not fly. This compares with more than 2,000 flight cancellations during the first week of March.
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Data revealed that of the 55,000 flights scheduled to operate since February, nearly 26,800 were cancelled or did not fly.
Cirium figures showed that Kuwait Airways (97.66 per cent), Gulf Air (97.54 per cent), Iraqi Airways (97.16 per cent), Jazeera Airways (89.50 per cent) and Qatar Airways (88.87 per cent) recorded the highest flight cancellations in percentage terms since February 28, the day the regional military conflict broke out.
UAE airlines had resumed operations to around 150 destinations globally last week, led by Emirates, Air Arabia, Etihad Airways and flydubai. They have been operating reduced flight schedules due to airspace restrictions in the UAE and the region. However, they are covering almost all major cities around the world across Asia, Africa, Europe, the Middle East, Australia and the Americas.
UAE airlines are currently flying to multiple destinations in India, Pakistan, the US, Australia, the UK and other major countries.
Dubai’s flagship carrier Emirates had announced earlier this month that it anticipates a return to 100 per cent of its network within the coming days, subject to airspace availability and the fulfilment of all operational requirements.
Saj Ahmad, chief analyst at StrategicAero Research, said the recovery is measured in many ways – from network recovery to passenger numbers, yield and profitability.
“While there’s no doubt Emirates and Etihad have led the charge in reinstating up to 70 per cent of their networks – as is the case for Emirates – many flights are still operating well below passenger capacity,” he said, adding that some recovery has taken place, but it remains modest compared to pre-February 28 levels.
“Emirates and Etihad have astonishingly managed to resume a sizeable proportion of their networks – so right now, they seem better placed to re-establish normal operations very quickly – perhaps in as little as 10-14 days,” said Ahmad.
For other carriers, he said, it might take longer to return to 100 per cent operations.
“The real issue is not what the ‘new normal’ looks like – the bigger issue is whether, once the fighting ends, it will be over for good or whether there is an inherent risk of conflict breaking out again. At this stage, no one has an answer. But if hostilities do end permanently, as per Iran, then the allure of the Middle East can be restored to full strength relatively quickly, especially with the summer season approaching,” said the chief analyst at StrategicAero Research.
