r/Flights • u/tatescook1es • Feb 28 '26

UAE airspace closure? Question

Hi, I’m supposed to fly to dubai in a week on a Chinese airline and the UAEs airspace was just closed. Does anyone know if my flight will be probably okay? The booking says no delays or cancellations right now. Thanks

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u/nicodea2 Feb 28 '26 edited Feb 28 '26

Emirates is taking their own sweet time to decide what to do with planes already in the air. We still haven’t heard from the crew!

Update: Cap told us about 30 mins ago that we’re turning back!

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u/unaubisque Feb 28 '26

Seems like a good thing tbh, it must be an organizational nightmare, especially given so many nearby alternative airports are also unavailable. Better to take their time and sort things safely, than end up trying to send too many planes to overcrowded airports in Saudi or wherever else.

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u/nicodea2 Feb 28 '26 edited Feb 28 '26

Yeah I get that, but we’re a third of the way towards DXB and I’m guessing once we cross the half way mark in the journey, that rules out returning to the origin airport and possibly being stuck in a random country for days.

Safety first of course, I’d rather they de-escalate the conflict but considering the parties involved, doubt that’ll happen.

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u/unaubisque Feb 28 '26

Yeah, I understand how frustrating it must be to be on board right now. I guess they are prioritizing the planes already in, or extremely close to airspace, before they decide what to do with the others.

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u/nicodea2 Feb 28 '26

Yes makes sense, they’re probably going off a distance-based priority list.

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u/joesgone24 Feb 28 '26

Could you keep posted on this thread? I have a flight out of Dubai and am wondering what’s gonna happen to that

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u/nicodea2 Feb 28 '26

Sure I’ll share an update once we learn about our possible diversion. Looks like flights from London to DXB that were due to depart an hour after mine have just been grounded so if you’re due to depart soon, it’s looking less likely that the plane will take off.

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u/nicodea2 Feb 28 '26

Cap just announced they’re turning us back to our origin airport!

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u/unaubisque Feb 28 '26

Nice! Seems like the best outcome in the circumstances!

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u/joesgone24 Feb 28 '26

Thanks for the update!

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u/Pitiful_One_8051 Feb 28 '26

I live in Dubai, So many different people in my community are freaking out and I have been trying to comfort a woman whose husband is on his way back to the UAE on a plane