Starting from 7/3, Emirates expects to operate 106 round-trip flights daily to 83 destinations, reaching nearly 60% of its global network capacity.

The restoration of operations marks a significant turning point after a period of "freezing" due to regional airspace restrictions from 28/2. Previously, on 5/3, key airports such as Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the UAE, and King Khalid in Saudi Arabia, began to gradually reopen. Major Middle Eastern airlines simultaneously re-established connections as airspace partially reopened.

In its recovery plan, Emirates stated it is focusing resources on areas with the highest global travel demand, such as the United Kingdom (11 flights daily to five major airports) and India (22 flights daily, restoring nine destinations). The airline also maintains connections with seven major cities to ensure traffic flow between the US and the UAE.

The airline collaborated with UAE aviation authorities to implement special flight corridors starting from 2/3, serving approximately 30,000 passengers departing Dubai on 5/3 to alleviate pressure on the transit terminal.

Dubai airport during the Middle East airspace closure. Photo: AP

In Vietnam, several travel agencies confirmed they have completed bringing all tourists from Middle East itineraries back to the country. Emirates flight EK394 transported a Vietravel group of nearly 100 people, along with many individual travelers, landing at Noi Bai airport at 13h15 on 4/3.

The travel agency and airline collaborated to ensure accommodation at premium hotels and covered all essential expenses for passengers during their time stranded.

Landing at Noi Bai airport on flight EK394 at 3h40 on 4/3, Nguyen Duy An from Hanoi, stated he concluded his journey home after nearly a week of disruption in Dubai. His business trip combined with tourism to Germany, which began on 28/2, was interrupted at the transit point in Dubai due to the airspace closure order.

According to An, despite his business itinerary being canceled due to missed connections, the airline ensured passenger rights by arranging accommodation at a 5-star hotel and covering all living expenses during the delay.

"I was also assisted with changing my return ticket without incurring additional costs," An said.

Duy An at Dubai airport before returning home. Photo courtesy of the author

According to an Emirates representative, the top priority is to restore 100% of the network in the coming days, depending on airspace availability and flight safety standards. To avoid localized congestion at the Dubai transit hub, Emirates has implemented a control procedure.

The airline requires passengers to travel to the airport only with a valid booking confirmation. The system will prioritize processing customers directly affected by cancellations from 28/2 before widely releasing new flight slots.

According to data from Flightradar24, since the attacks began on 28/2, nearly 14,000 flights scheduled to depart from 10 countries in the region were canceled. The widespread airspace closure disrupted flight routes connecting Asia-Europe and North America.

Dubai International Airport (UAE), one of the world's busiest transit hubs, was the most severely affected. Approximately 85% of flights there have been canceled since late February. Neighboring airports recorded high rates of disruption: Sharjah airport (UAE) canceled 90% of flights, and Doha airport (Qatar) canceled up to 94%. Data from Official Aviation Guide highlights the severe impact, as Dubai alone typically serves 4,9 million passengers monthly.

In the Vietnamese market, three major Middle Eastern airlines—Emirates, Qatar Airways, and Etihad Airways—operate six routes from Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Doha to Hanoi, TP HCM, and Da Nang.

With an average frequency of 12 flights daily, these are critical transit points connecting passengers from Europe, Africa, and the US East Coast to Vietnam. In January, these airlines transported 141,000 passengers and 11,000 tons of cargo to/from Vietnam. The prolonged disruption has created immense pressure on international trade and tourism flows.

Bich Phuong