Travellers passing through airports in the UAE should check their flight statuses before heading to the airport today, due to the widespread cancellations and delays affecting routes to Pakistan and Moscow.
The disruption comes in the wake of airspace closures in northern Pakistan due to military escalations and the temporary shutdown of major airports in the Russian capital, affecting multiple commercial flights.
According to Emirates, so far ten of its flights to and from Pakistan have been cancelled. The affected destinations include Lahore, Islamabad, Sialkot and Peshawar. As a result, the airline is currently not accepting passengers booked on connecting flights to these cities until further notice. To see the full list of cancelled flights, see Emirates' official announcement. The airline is yet to confirm the status of its evening services, EK614 to Islamabad and EK622 to Lahore. Flights to Karachi remain unaffected and are operating on schedule.
In addition to Emirates, flydubai has also cancelled several Pakistan-bound flights today, including those to Faisalabad, Lahore, Islamabad and Sialkot, along with delays on flights to Multan and Karachi. The suspension and delays have not only affected outbound travel from Dubai but also return services from Pakistan.
Other major airlines operating from Abu Dhabi, including Air Arabia Abu Dhabi and Etihad Airways, have also announced suspension of its services to Pakistan. Etihad Airway's EY297 flight to Karachi and Air Arabia Abu Dhabis' 3L335 flight to Multan have been cancelled.
Indian airlines, including AirIndia, SpiceJet and IndiGo, have also issued advisories urging passengers to check real-time flight updates.
Passengers going to Pakistan from Dubai and Abu Dhabi airports are advised to check with their airlines for the latest updates.
Meanwhile, flights to and from Moscow have also faced significant disruption due to security-related closures of Moscow International Airport. Three Emirates flights between Dubai and Moscow have been cancelled, and flight EK133 to Moscow is delayed.
Given the ongoing nature of the disruptions, travellers are strongly encouraged to check with their airlines directly and allow for extra time in case of last-minute changes.