Following air strikes on Iran by Israel and the US, and retaliatory strikes on the Middle East, which cleared the skies in the region as airspace closed and commercial aviation ceased, some airlines have recommenced operations, focusing on relief and repatriation flights for foreign citizens in the affected zone.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) provided an early offer of rescue operations, flying approximately 17,500 people out of its territory on 60 aircraft between 2 and 3 March, the national General Civil Aviation Authority confirmed.
Despite the ongoing closure of Qatari airspace, Qatar Airways has begun operating a limited number of relief flights “to support passengers who are stranded due to the current situation across the region,” an airline press release said.
Service Update : On 05 March 2026, due to the current situation and temporary airspace closures by the relevant authorities affecting parts of the region, Qatar Airways has started to organise and operate a limited number of relief flights to assist passengers affected by the…
— Qatar Airways (@qatarairways) March 5, 2026
Starting 5 March, the flag carrier started flying passengers from the Omani capital, Muscat, to Amsterdam, Berlin, Copenhagen, London Heathrow, Madrid, and Rome. It will also run departures from the Saudi capital, Riyadh, heading to Frankfurt.
The airline urged passengers to ensure their contact details were accurate on its website or mobile app, and said it would get in touch with them directly to communicate their flight details and next steps. Passengers were also “kindly requested not to proceed to the airport unless they have received an official notification from Qatar Airways for these flights.
Oman's Muscat_International_Airport today, where the Airport has become a main travel hub for many travelers in the region due to the suspension of flights and the closure of airspace for a number of countries in the Middle east.
— FL360aero (@fl360aero) March 5, 2026
Mr. Badr Al-Busaidi, Minister of Foreign Affairs… pic.twitter.com/0ImVqGWzsI
An airline statement said: “We are continuing to closely monitor the situation and will share further updates as soon as they become available. The safety and well-being of our passengers and crew remains our highest priority. We apologise for the disruption caused by circumstances beyond our control due to the temporary airspace closure and thank you for your patience.”
Similarly, British Airways launched a series of special repatriation flights from Muscat on 5 March, for customers with pre-existing bookings, and there are no seats left on any such BA departures through to 7 March.
We are actively coordinating repatriation flights from the Middle East through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism.
— European Commission (@EU_Commission) March 5, 2026
We've already supported EU countries with 6 flights, bringing citizens safely to 🇧🇬, 🇮🇹, 🇦🇹, and 🇸🇰.
We're planning more flights in the coming days ⇣… pic.twitter.com/vsjhlpA6Qn
Virgin Atlantic flights between Dubai and London Heathrow resumed even earlier, on 4 March. Air India, flydubai, and Russia’s S7 have also at least partially recommenced schedules. Etihad Airways relaunched on 6 March, while Emirates said it would not take to the skies again until almost midnight local time on 7 March.
Meanwhile, with hundreds of thousands of foreign citizens still in the region, demand for private and charter flights from Dubai has surged, with some choosing to make lengthy road trips to reach the city-state, instead of sheltering in place as advised by authorities.
