EASA extends Gulf airspace conflict-zone warning through September 2026; UAE carriers adjust routes amid US-Iran tensions
Why It MattersProlonged conflict-zone advisories over key Gulf airspace add sustained scheduling and rerouting pressure on UAE-based carriers and their long-haul connectivity through major hub airports.
EASA has extended a Conflict Zone Information Bulletin covering the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman through 30 September 2026, following earlier actions in late July and late August that replaced a broader Middle East advisory with more focused bulletins. The bulletin rates the risk to civil aviation as high, citing threats from missiles, drones, combat aircraft and air defence systems, as well as unpredictable military activity linked to ongoing US-Iran tensions, and specifically names airspace managed by Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the UAE.
Flight data for Tuesday, 2 September showed Emirates, Etihad Airways and Air Arabia continuing to operate most of their networks while making targeted adjustments. Etihad maintained several Abu Dhabi–Bahrain and Abu Dhabi–Kuwait rotations while advising passengers to monitor flight status closely due to short-notice changes. Emirates kept Dubai–Bahrain and Dubai–Kuwait services running, though some long-haul routes, including flights to Nairobi, São Paulo, Bali and certain European and North American cities, showed delays or cancellations.
Airport operations at Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah remain open, with no indication of a blanket suspension of flights to or from the UAE. Airlines are directing passengers to official websites and apps for real-time status updates and note that free or reduced-fee rebooking may be available where changes are driven by airspace restrictions. The Gulf bulletin runs concurrently with separate high-risk conflict-zone notices for Iran, Iraq and Lebanon, and industry analysts expect the advisories to be extended rather than withdrawn unless there is significant de-escalation in US-Iran military tensions.
