DUBAI — The United Arab Emirates' General Civil Aviation Authority lifted all flight restrictions imposed since the start of the United States and Israel's war on Iran, returning air operations across UAE airspace to normal status. The authority said the decision followed a comprehensive assessment of operational and security conditions in coordination with the relevant authorities.
The authority said it will continue monitoring the situation. The lifting of restrictions covers the country's main hubs, including Dubai, home to the world's busiest airport for international passengers, and Abu Dhabi.
Dubai and Abu Dhabi had been operating under restrictions since late February, when the UAE declared a temporary and partial closure of its airspace at the beginning of the conflict. Tehran's retaliatory strikes on Gulf countries forced the closure of large portions of the region's airspace, with at least eight states, including the UAE, Iraq, Jordan, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait, announcing full or partial airspace closures.
The war disrupted aviation across the Middle East. UAE carriers Emirates and flydubai temporarily halted all operations, while Etihad suspended all departures from Abu Dhabi. According to aviation data firm Cirium, more than 11,000 flights in and out of the region were canceled in the opening days of the conflict.
Between March 1 and 12, during the UAE's partial resumption of air traffic, the country's airports handled 1.4 million passengers and recorded 7,839 air traffic movements. During that period, the UAE's national carriers saw their operations recover to 44.6 percent of normal levels.
A Pakistan-brokered ceasefire last month brought the conflict to a halt, paving the way for the full restoration of normal air operations. The General Civil Aviation Authority did not specify a timeline for any further reviews of airspace conditions.