EgyptAir, the national carrier of Egypt, announced the gradual resumption of some additional flights to and from Dubai and Dammam starting March 6, after several days of major disruptions to air travel across the Middle East.
In a statementThe airline said that round-trip flights will be available for booking through the EgyptAir website, call center, sales offices and travel agencies. Passengers were advised to check the status of their flights online before heading to the airport even if their booking has been confirmed.
The announcement represents a step towards restoring routes that were suspended as regional airspace closures and security concerns forced airlines to halt operations across multiple destinations.
Shortly after the announcement, Al Jazeera reported that Dubai residents received an SMS alert urging them to seek shelter.
Travel disruptions throughout the region
EgyptAir had previously suspended its flights from Cairo to 13 destinations across the Middle East, including Dubai, Doha, Bahrain, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Dammam, Amman, Beirut, Kuwait, Baghdad, Erbil, Muscat and Qassim, citing rapidly escalating regional tensions and airspace closures.
The unrest followed a major escalation in the region following US and Israeli strikes inside Iran in late February, which led to retaliatory missile and drone attacks and prompted several countries to temporarily close or restrict their airspace.
As a result, airlines around the world have canceled or rerouted thousands of flights. Major aviation hubs in the Gulf, including Dubai and Doha, saw widespread cancellations and delays, as airlines tried to avoid potentially unsafe airspace.
EgyptAir’s decision to restore some flights to Dubai and Dammam indicates that air travel routes are beginning to reopen cautiously as airlines reassess regional conditions.