- By Raju Kumar
- Tue, 03 Mar 2026 04:44 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Iran-US Conflict: Travellers stranded by a widening war in the Middle East are attempting to reach their homes as soon as possible, as a small number of evacuation flights have been operating the last couple of days, even as most commercial air traffic across the Middle East remained suspended. These flights are being conducted amid a high risk of airstrikes. An Emirates flight from Mumbai to Dubai was seen making a rare manoeuvre in the UAE airspace.
According to Flightradar24 data, a Dubai-bound aircraft, Emirates flight (EK501), underwent a rare manoeuvre after receiving a missile attack alert mid-air. On Tuesday morning, an Emirates flight got the alert when it was flying in the UAE airspace. When the alert was issued, the air defences were engaging Iranian ballistic missiles.
Dubai-Bound Plane Makes Rare 'Double Reverse'
HT reported that EK501 took off from Mumbai. It made a double reverse, which is described as “rare” in the aviation industry. However, the plane made ultimately, but safe landing in Dubai.
Limited Flights From UAE Begin
Meanwhile, the limited flights out of Dubai and Abu Dhabi took place amid missiles and drones flying in the sky of the Gulf countries. Foreigners stranded in the UAE, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Lebanon and Oman were attempting to depart via commercial means due to serious safety risks.
Sweeping airspace closures and flight cancellations across the region left many fewer options for heeding the advice. Since US and Israeli strikes on Iran and retaliatory attacks on Israel and Gulf states started Saturday, commercial flights have been halted or heavily restricted, leaving tourists, business travellers, migrant workers and religious pilgrims stuck in hotels, airports and aboard cruise ships.
Airspace remained closed Monday over Iran, Iraq and Israel. Jordan instituted a temporary closure beginning Monday afternoon. Other countries in the Gulf including Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, had partial or temporary closures that could be extended, according to flight-tracking service Flightradar24.
About 13,000 of the roughly 32,000 flights scheduled into and out of the Middle East since Saturday have been cancelled, aviation analytics firm Cirium said.
Evacuation Flights Conducted
Airlines operating evacuation flights are likely doing so with government backing, and the carriers' home countries may be assuming part of the financial risk, said Henry Harteveldt, president of travel market research firm Atmosphere Research Group.
(With AP Inputs)