- By Priyanka Koul
- Fri, 10 Apr 2026 04:41 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Iran-Israel War: Amid the ongoing Middle East crisis, Dubai has restricted foreign airlines to just one daily flight to its airports until May 31 due to the Iran-Israel war crisis, raising concerns of significant revenue losses for Indian carriers that had planned the highest number of flights to the destination.
According to a Reuters report, the Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA), which represents major carriers like IndiGo, Air India, and SpiceJet, has urged the Indian government to press Dubai authorities to lift the restrictions. In a March 31 letter, the FIA also suggested considering reciprocal measures against UAE-based airlines such as Emirates and flydubai if the curbs remain.
At the same time, Indian airlines are already grappling with financial strain due to rising fuel costs and longer flight routes to Western destinations, as they have been barred from using Pakistani airspace since last year amid tensions between the two countries.
In a private email dated March 27, Dubai Airports informed airlines that they would be limited to one round trip per day to Dubai International Airport and Al Maktoum International Airport during the summer schedule from April 20 to May 31. The restrictions extend earlier curbs imposed after the conflict began.
"Carriers continue to be limited to one rotation per day until capacity allows more to be facilitated ...Additional slots will be allocated if capacity is available," the mail read.
The FIA told the Indian government that the restrictions are not being applied to UAE carriers like Emirates and flydubai, which may create an uneven playing field and potentially lead to “substantial” revenue losses for Indian airlines.
While Dubai Airports and Dubai’s media office did not respond to requests, flydubai said its flight schedules had been approved by relevant authorities. Emirates did not comment.
The development comes after Emirates and other Gulf airlines have long complained about India's bilateral air service agreements that cap the number of seats that can be deployed between countries. Indian authorities have said such pacts protect Indian airlines in the cutthroat market.
ALSO READ: Ukraine President Zelenskyy Confirms Downing Iran's Shahed Drones Before Ceasefire In Middle East
India remained the largest source of passengers for DXB in 2025, with 11.9 million travellers passing through the hub.
According to aviation data firm Cirium, the curbs are expected to impact Indian airlines the most. Air India and Air India Express had planned over 750 flights to DXB during April and May, while IndiGo scheduled 481 flights. In comparison, SpiceJet had planned 61 flights.
The cap of one flight per day would significantly reduce operations to about 30–31 flights per month per foreign airline compared to the hundreds operated by Emirates and flydubai, according to Flightradar24 data.
In a statement to Reuters, IndiGo said the Middle East crisis and extended Dubai restrictions have “significantly constrained” its operations, as it had approvals for 15 daily flights between India and Dubai for the summer schedule.
Meanwhile, global carriers such as Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines, and British Airways, which had fewer flights to Dubai, have suspended operations to the city until at least May 31.
( With inputs from Agencies )