Passengers travelling through Dubai and Abu Dhabi faced widespread delays and cancellations on Wednesday, following new restrictions imposed by Iran's Civil Aviation Organization. Flights between Tehran and Baghdad, as well as Tehran and Muscat, were cancelled starting from midnight Wednesday.
At the same time, the US Treasury announced fresh sanctions targeting 36 entities linked to Iran's aviation sector. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned that companies providing fuel or landing services to Iranian carriers risk facing sanctions themselves.
The developments triggered disruption to several airlines' schedules. SpiceJet cancelled multiple flights to Kozhikode, Delhi and Jaipur, with delays exceeding eight hours on some routes. Emirates flight EK902 from Amman was cancelled, while Flydubai cancelled services to Abha, Kuwait and Basra. Air India Express and Oman Air also reported delayed or cancelled services.
Affected routes included Indian cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Kochi and Kozhikode, as well as Tehran, Muscat and several European destinations. The disruption affected Dubai International Airport, Dubai World Central, Abu Dhabi International Airport and Sharjah Airport, though UAE carriers continued operating at near-full capacity overall.
Airport authorities have advised passengers to check their flight status through their airline's website or app before heading to the airport, as further disruption is possible in the coming days amid the ongoing restrictions.