The aviation industry in the UAE and the broader Middle East is steadily recovering after recent regional military tensions, with airlines progressively increasing flight operations.

Data from aviation analytics firm Cirium shows a notable decline in flight cancellations. The cancellation rate for departing flights dropped from a peak of 65 percent on March 3 to 14 percent by March 23. On that day, out of 2,452 scheduled flights, 333 were cancelled or did not operate, representing 13.48 percent. In comparison, more than 2,000 flights were cancelled during the first week of March.

Since February, around 55,000 flights were scheduled across the region, with nearly 26,800 either cancelled or not flown, highlighting the overall disruption to air travel during the period.

Cirium’s data also shows that several regional carriers recorded exceptionally high cancellation rates since February 28, when the conflict began. Kuwait Airways led with 97.66 percent, followed closely by Gulf Air at 97.54 percent, Iraqi Airways at 97.16 percent, Jazeera Airways at 89.50 percent, and Qatar Airways at 88.87 percent.

Despite the disruption, UAE-based airlines have been steadily restoring international connectivity. Last week, carriers including Emirates, Air Arabia, Etihad Airways, and flydubai had resumed services to roughly 150 destinations worldwide. Operations remain partially reduced due to airspace limitations across parts of the UAE and the wider region, but airlines continue to serve key global hubs across Asia, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Australia, and the Americas.

UAE carriers are currently maintaining routes to major markets such as India, Pakistan, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia.

Emirates, the country’s largest airline, previously indicated it expects to restore its full global network in the near term, depending on airspace access and operational conditions.

Industry analyst Saj Ahmad of StrategicAero Research said recovery in aviation is being measured across multiple indicators, including network restoration, passenger demand, yields, and profitability.

He noted that Emirates and Etihad Airways have led the recovery effort, restoring as much as 70 percent of their networks. However, he added that many flights are still operating below full passenger capacity, meaning overall recovery remains below pre-conflict levels.

According to Ahmad, both Emirates and Etihad could return to near-normal operations within 10 to 14 days if current conditions continue. Other carriers, he said, are likely to require a longer period to fully restore operations.

He also highlighted broader uncertainty surrounding the situation, pointing to concerns over whether hostilities will end permanently or if renewed instability could emerge. If peace holds, he said, the Middle East aviation sector could recover quickly, particularly with the peak summer travel season approaching.

Source: Khaleej Times

Typhoon Dolphin brought torrential rain to Shanghai on Monday, August 10, 2026, flooding roads and commercial areas and severely disrupting air travel in the city.

The weather system forced Shanghai’s two airports to cancel a combined 943 flights, while their overall passenger capacity was reduced by nearly 40%.

The disruption followed Dolphin’s landfall in Zhejiang province on Sunday evening. The typhoon struck areas south and west of Shanghai with maximum sustained winds of 151 kilometres per hour near its centre.

Dolphin later weakened into a tropical storm, but its remaining rain bands continued to bring heavy precipitation across large parts of eastern China.

Shanghai, the country’s second-most populous city, experienced widespread flooding, including in several major commercial districts.

China Eastern Airlines said it was working to gradually restore flights to Shanghai, Zhejiang and other affected destinations as weather conditions improve.

Source: Asia News Network

Thousands of WestJet cabin crew members began strike action on Aug. 2 after nearly 11 months of contract negotiations failed to result in a new labor agreement, triggering widespread disruptions across the airline's network.

The industrial action involves around 4,400 flight attendants represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 8125. The strike officially started after talks between the union and the airline ended without a new collective agreement.

The labor dispute has already forced WestJet to cancel more than 300 flights, affecting travel plans across its domestic and international routes.

Ahead of the strike, the airline had begun grounding portions of its Boeing 737 fleet as a precautionary measure to minimize operational disruption and reduce the risk of leaving passengers and aircraft stranded during the work stoppage.

Source: Aero Time

Oman Air has warned passengers of potential delays on selected flights following temporary airspace restrictions and exceptional operating conditions that have disrupted aircraft movements across parts of its network.

In a travel advisory issued on Saturday, the national carrier said the operational challenges had affected flight schedules and that its teams were working continuously to minimise disruption, maintain services, and restore normal operations as quickly as possible.

The airline did not identify the routes impacted by the restrictions or provide a timeline for when normal schedules are expected to resume.

Oman Air said passengers affected by schedule changes will be notified directly via WhatsApp, email, or SMS, provided their booking records contain current contact details.

To reduce the impact on travel plans, the airline added that it may rebook eligible passengers on flights operated by other carriers where suitable alternatives are available.

Source: Gulf News

Global commercial aviation reached a new milestone on July 23, with flight-tracking platform Flightradar24 recording 153,359 commercial flights in a single day, the highest daily total in the platform's history.

The record comes despite recent signs of weaker passenger demand, softer ticket sales and disruptions caused by conflict in the Middle East, highlighting the resilience of airline operations during the peak Northern Hemisphere summer travel season.

The milestone reflects a contrast within the aviation industry, where airlines continue to operate extensive summer schedules even as demand has weakened in some major markets.

Industry observers say the record was driven by peak holiday travel, with carriers deploying maximum capacity to meet seasonal demand. Many airlines, including major U.S. operators, have maintained record summer schedules as travellers continue to prioritise leisure travel despite economic uncertainty and higher travel costs.

Earlier this month, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) reported that global passenger demand fell 2.2% year-on-year in May, marking a second consecutive monthly decline. Domestic traffic dropped 3.1%, with demand down 1.9% in the United States and 6.2% in China's domestic market.

IATA also reported weaker forward ticket sales for the second half of 2026, signalling a more cautious outlook for the industry later in the year.

Analysts noted that flight activity and passenger demand do not always move in tandem, as airlines can maintain high flight frequencies through larger schedules and pricing strategies designed to stimulate demand.

According to IATA, the May slowdown was largely driven by the conflict in the Middle East, where traffic among regional airlines declined 28.4%. Excluding the region, global passenger demand increased 0.7% year-on-year, indicating that the weakness was concentrated rather than widespread.

Despite ongoing challenges, including elevated fuel prices and geopolitical uncertainty, the record number of daily flights underscores the continued strength of global airline operations during the summer travel season.

Source: Newsweek