Dubai Airports is increasing flight movements and enabling airlines to restore schedules after the UAE lifted all airspace restrictions, marking a transition into the next phase of aviation recovery.
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Dubai Airports is increasing flight movements and enabling airlines to restore schedules after the UAE lifted all airspace restrictions, marking a transition into the next phase of aviation recovery.
The move follows confirmation by the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority that air traffic has returned to normal. According to Khaleej Times reporting, Dubai Airports said it is “moving decisively to scale up operations” in line with available regional routing capacity.
The latest step comes after a prolonged period of operational constraints triggered by geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.
The UAE partially closed its airspace on February 28 as a precautionary measure during the US Israel Iran conflict. Restrictions were fully lifted on May 2, allowing aviation activity to normalise.
Dubai Airports said it is now working to increase daily flight movements while coordinating with neighbouring airspace authorities to optimise traffic flows across the region.
Airlines operating through Dubai’s hubs are expected to progressively rebuild their schedules as capacity improves.
The airport operator said flight volumes will be aligned with the availability of regional routes outside UAE airspace, reflecting continued coordination with international partners.
Key operational priorities include:
Operational data illustrates the scale of the disruption and the early stages of recovery.
According to Dubai Airports, cited by Khaleej Times:
For the first quarter of 2026:
Baggage handling also reflected operational strain, with 17.6 million bags processed and a higher mishandling rate compared with the previous year.
Despite constraints, Dubai maintained its role as a global transit hub.
India remained the largest source market with 2.5 million passengers, followed by Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom and Pakistan. London was the busiest city destination, ahead of Mumbai and Jeddah.
Dubai Airports said that Dubai International Airport continued to sustain global connectivity even as schedules were reduced, underscoring its central role in international travel flows.
The aviation sector in the UAE experienced multiple phases of disruption and recovery:
This phased recovery highlights the complexity of restoring operations in a geopolitically sensitive environment.
Dubai remains a critical node in global aviation, particularly for transfer traffic across regions.
Chief executive Paul Griffiths said international transfer traffic through the Middle East accounts for a significant share of global air travel, with Dubai handling a substantial portion of that flow.
He noted that demand for connecting travel is expected to rebound quickly, as capacity constraints elsewhere limit alternative routing options.
Dubai Airports said it will continue working with airlines to increase capacity in the coming months, with infrastructure able to support further growth.
The expansion of operations at Al Maktoum International Airport is also expected to contribute to long-term capacity, reinforcing Dubai’s position as a major global aviation hub.
The pace of recovery will depend on sustained regional stability and the availability of international flight paths. However, early indicators suggest that passenger demand remains resilient, positioning Dubai to regain momentum as a key transit and destination market.
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