Dubai Airports to expand flight operations as UAE reopens airspace

Dubai Airports has begun increasing flight operations after the United Arab Emirates restored full access to its airspace, following weeks of regional disruption, the operator said in a statement.

The airport operator said it is scaling up flight movements in line with available regional routing capacity as airlines gradually restore their schedules. The move comes after a period of airspace restrictions that affected travel across the Middle East.

Over 6 million passengers handled during disruption

Despite the challenges, Dubai Airports said it remained operational and handled more than 6 million passengers, over 32,000 aircraft movements and more than 213,000 tonnes of cargo across Dubai International Airport and Al Maktoum International Airport in the past two months.


Chief Executive Officer Paul Griffiths said maintaining operations required constant coordination across the airport network. He said, “Our priority has been clear; to keep global journeys moving safely and consistently, despite significant constraints on regional airspace.”

He added that operations are now being expanded as conditions improve. “Now that UAE airspace is fully restored, we are scaling up operations and increasing flight movements in line with available regional routing capacity.”

Dubai Airports said real-time coordination between airlines, ground teams and other stakeholders helped maintain stable operations during the disruption. The operator highlighted that a large share of international transfer traffic passes through Dubai, making continuity critical for global travel.

Griffiths said the recent period showed the importance of coordination and flexibility in managing operations. “Maintaining operational continuity under pressure depends not only on infrastructure, but on disciplined execution, clear communication and the ability to respond collectively as a system.”

The operator said travel demand through Dubai remains strong, and it is preparing to increase capacity further as airlines resume services.