Hundreds Stranded as Dubai and Abu Dhabi Flights Freeze Without Warning

Over 70 flights have been cancelled across Dubai and Abu Dhabi international airports, leaving hundreds of passengers stranded, rerouted, or scrambling to make alternative plans across one of the world’s busiest aviation hubs.

The disruptions have stretched across multiple consecutive days — Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday — hitting routes from Bahrain, Egypt, and India, among others. For travellers passing through the UAE, whether on business or holiday, the situation has created a cascading wave of delays that shows no immediate sign of fully resolving.

If you have a flight booked through either airport in the coming days, here is what the confirmed cancellations look like — and what you need to know right now.

What Is Happening at UAE Airports Right Now

Abu Dhabi International Airport (OMAA) has been the epicentre of confirmed cancellations, with the same routes being wiped from the schedule on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday — a pattern that suggests this is not a one-off weather event or isolated technical failure, but a sustained operational disruption.

Two Gulf Air flights — GFA546 and GFA544 — operating Airbus A320 aircraft on the Bahrain International route, have been cancelled on all three days. Their scheduled arrival times of 10:10PM and 5:50PM local time have been removed from the boards each evening.

An Etihad Airways flight, ETD247 — a Boeing 787-9 arriving from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad, India — was also cancelled on Friday, with a scheduled arrival of 8:35AM IST.

EgyptAir has also been caught up in the disruptions. On Thursday, two Cairo-originating flights were cancelled: MSR914, a Boeing 737-800 scheduled to arrive at 1:10PM EET, and MSR916, an Airbus A321 due at 2:05AM EET — both originating from Cairo International Airport.

A Breakdown of the Confirmed Flight Cancellations

The table below summarises the key confirmed cancellations across the three-day window based on available information:

Who Is Being Affected — and How Badly

The human cost of these cancellations is significant. Passengers travelling between Bahrain and Abu Dhabi on Gulf Air have now faced three straight days of cancelled evening services, meaning anyone who missed the first cancellation and rebooked on the same flight the following day was cancelled again — and potentially a third time.

Travellers arriving from Ahmedabad on the Etihad 787-9 service faced a long-haul cancellation with no confirmed rebooking window publicly available. For passengers connecting onward from Abu Dhabi to Europe, North America, or other destinations, a missed arrival can collapse an entire travel itinerary.

EgyptAir passengers flying out of Cairo faced two separate cancellations on Thursday alone — one mid-afternoon service and one overnight red-eye — meaning travellers on different schedules were both caught in the same disruption on the same day.

Dubai International Airport has also been named in relation to the broader disruption affecting UAE aviation, though the specific confirmed cancellations detailed in available information centre on Abu Dhabi.

What Happens Next for Affected Travellers

The immediate priority for anyone holding a ticket on a cancelled service is to contact their airline directly. Gulf Air, Etihad Airways, and EgyptAir each have rebooking policies that typically apply when a cancellation is airline-initiated — meaning passengers should be entitled to an alternative flight or a refund, depending on the carrier’s terms and the fare class purchased.

Given that the Gulf Air Bahrain cancellations have repeated across three days, passengers should ask specifically whether the next available service is confirmed to operate — rather than assuming a rebooked flight will depart as scheduled.

Travellers currently in transit through Abu Dhabi should check with airport staff about accommodation or meal vouchers, which airlines operating under international aviation standards are generally required to provide when cancellations are within the airline’s control.

The broader situation at both Dubai and Abu Dhabi airports remains fluid. Anyone with travel plans through the UAE in the coming days is strongly advised to monitor their flight status in real time and arrive at the airport with flexibility built into their schedule. The pattern of repeat cancellations on the same routes suggests that recovery may take more than a single day to fully resolve.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which airports have been affected by the cancellations?
Abu Dhabi International Airport (OMAA) has been the confirmed centre of the cancellations, with Dubai International Airport also named in connection with the broader UAE aviation disruption.

Which airlines have had flights cancelled?
Gulf Air, Etihad Airways, and EgyptAir have all had confirmed cancellations during this disruption period, affecting routes from Bahrain, India, and Egypt respectively.

How many days have the cancellations been running?
The confirmed cancellations span at least three consecutive days — Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday — with some flights, particularly the Gulf Air Bahrain services, cancelled on all three days.

What should I do if my flight has been cancelled?
Contact your airline directly to arrange rebooking or a refund. If your cancellation is airline-initiated, you are generally entitled to an alternative flight at no additional cost or a full refund depending on your fare conditions.

Has a cause for the cancellations been officially confirmed?
The specific cause behind the sustained cancellations has not been confirmed in available information at this time.

Are the same flights likely to be cancelled again tomorrow?
Given that several routes — particularly the Gulf Air Bahrain services — have been cancelled on three consecutive days, travellers should verify with their airline whether their rebooked service is confirmed before heading to the airport.