The EASA conflict-zone information bulletin covering Gulf airspace is set to expire on 31 August 2026, and several airlines that suspended UAE services in recent weeks have begun selling tickets from 1 September onwards, signalling a return to normal operations at Dubai and Abu Dhabi airports.
Which Airlines Are Returning
Cathay Pacific has reopened bookings for Dubai from 1 September, resuming its Hong Kong–Dubai service after a suspension of several weeks. Aegean Airlines has similarly gone on sale for Athens–Dubai from the same date.
Both carriers cited the EASA bulletin’s expiry as the basis for planning their return. Several other European and Asian carriers that suspended services are expected to announce their own return dates over the coming days.
Emirates and flydubai maintained their full schedules throughout the period of disruption and did not suspend any UAE routes. Both carriers have confirmed their normal timetables remain in place through September and beyond.
Singapore Airlines remains an exception: the carrier has suspended its Singapore–Dubai flights through 24 October 2026, citing its own risk assessment independent of the EASA bulletin timeline.
What the EASA Bulletin Covered
EASA’s conflict-zone information bulletin was issued in response to regional tensions affecting airspace over the Gulf. It did not mandate that airlines suspend operations but provided guidance that many carriers used to justify temporary service suspensions. Each airline makes its own flight safety decisions based on EASA guidance, their own security assessments, and the positions of their national aviation authorities.
The bulletin’s expiry on 31 August removes the primary public trigger that many airlines cited when suspending services.
Booking and What to Expect
For travellers with bookings from 1 September onwards, the situation has improved significantly since peak disruption. Airport operations at Dubai International and Abu Dhabi International have continued without disruption throughout — the cancellations were on the airlines’ side, not at the airports themselves.
If you are flying to Dubai or Abu Dhabi in September or later, check your airline’s current schedule directly. Most carriers that suspended services are now selling seats, though some may have reduced frequency in the early weeks of September compared to their pre-disruption schedules.
Emirates’ extensive hub network at Dubai means the airport is extremely well connected even when individual European or Asian carriers are absent. For those flexible on routing, Dubai and Abu Dhabi have remained reachable throughout the disruption period via Emirates, flydubai, and carriers from the Middle East.
We will continue to update this article as further airlines confirm their September return dates.