Travel activity in the United Arab Emirates is showing signs of recovery after Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian issued a public apology to Gulf countries for recent missile and drone attacks. The move has sparked hope that regional tensions may subside, prompting airlines to gradually resume flight operations that had been disrupted for several days.
Partial Flight Operations Resume in Dubai
Both Dubai International Airport (DXB) and Dubai World Central – Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC) confirmed that partial flight schedules resumed on March 7. However, officials are urging passengers not to proceed to the airport unless they have received confirmation from their airline, as flight times and destinations may still change at short notice.
Spike in Enquiries from Concerned Travellers
Travel agents across the UAE report a noticeable uptick in calls and messages from residents eager to confirm or modify their existing bookings. Safeer Mohammed, general manager of Smart Travels, noted that the volume of enquiries increased shortly after Iran’s president declared that his country would not target neighbours unless provoked from those territories. “Calls are pouring in now. Most of them are from people who had pre-existing bookings and wanted to confirm that their flights will operate,” he explained.
Many travellers are also checking on inbound travel plans that had been put on hold due to the uncertainty, with confidence slowly returning to the market.
Cautious Optimism as Eid Approaches
Despite renewed interest, many residents remain cautious about making new leisure travel plans, particularly with the Eid holidays approaching and the regional situation still evolving. Limited flight operations have also meant fewer available seats and higher ticket prices on several popular routes.
Business Travel Set to Rebound Faster
Industry experts expect that business and MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) travel will recover more rapidly than leisure travel, especially inbound business trips from China and other major markets.
Looking Ahead
Travel agencies remain optimistic that if the easing of regional tensions continues, airline schedules and travel demand will gradually return to normal in the coming days. For now, they advise travellers to stay updated through official airline channels and confirm bookings before heading to the airport.
