The United Arab Emirates has launched exceptional flight operations at its airports, as announced by the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA). These flights aim to assist passengers who have become stranded due to the recent turmoil in the region.
The inaugural flight, Etihad Airways flight EY67 to London Heathrow, took off from Zayed International Airport at 2:39 PM local time (11:39 AM CET). This flight marks the first departure from the UAE since the airspace was closed in response to retaliatory strikes from Iran.
“The General Civil Aviation Authority has announced the commencement of exceptional flight operations at UAE airports, enabling stranded passengers affected by recent regional developments to depart,” the authority stated.
These special flights are not available for public booking; instead, airlines are directly contacting passengers to provide them with the necessary information regarding flight schedules and details. Only those who have received notification from the airlines are advised to proceed to the airport.
Among the Etihad flights that took off on Monday were routes to major cities including Moscow, Amsterdam, Paris Charles de Gaulle, Mumbai, Islamabad, Delhi, Riyadh, and Jeddah. To navigate the airspace restrictions, flights heading to Europe are taking a route through Oman before entering Saudi Arabian airspace, which remains open despite the ongoing situation.
Impact of regional tensions on air travel
As Iran’s retaliatory actions continue to affect air travel, chaos has ensued, leaving thousands of passengers stranded in the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, and Kuwait. Qatar’s airspace is currently closed, and Qatar Airways has indicated that it will provide further updates by 9 AM local time on March 3.
Similarly, Bahrain’s Civil Aviation Affairs has also closed its airspace, with Gulf Air announcing it will issue an update at 11 AM local time. Kuwait has followed suit, closing its airspace with no immediate information available on when it might reopen.
Numerous airlines, including Turkish Airlines, Air France, KLM, British Airways, and Finnair, have canceled or altered their flight schedules to various destinations in the region. While Saudi Arabia maintains open airspace, several airlines have opted to cancel flights to the kingdom.
Surge in demand for private flights
In light of the airspace closures, many expatriates stranded in the UAE have resorted to driving to Oman or Saudi Arabia to secure private jet travel out of the region. Alexander Graham, director of Luxe Jets, remarked, “half of Dubai is booking,” highlighting the spike in demand for private jet services.
Reports indicate that one operator has been charging €22,900 per seat for a jet departing from Oman to Milan, reflecting the high demand and urgency for travel amidst the ongoing crisis.