UAE Suspend All Passenger Flights

The decision affects every airline in the UAE including: Air Arabia, Emirates, Etihad Airways and FlyDubai, as well as the many different charter airlines.

As the country's two major airports, the airport in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the country, which serves as the main hub for Etihad Airways, the UAE's second-largest airline and the flag carrier of the country, and the airport in Dubai, the country's most populous city, which serves as the main hub for Emirates, the largest airline in the Middle East, are popular with connecting passengers travelling between Europe and Asia, the closure will affect many people returning home.

All inbound, outbound, and transit passenger flights in the UAE will be suspended for two weeks, subject to further directives by the relevant authorities, the National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority together with the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) have announced today in Abu Dhabi.

Tony Douglas, Group Chief Executive Officer, Etihad Aviation Group, said, “These are unprecedented times and unprecedented decisions are being made by governments, authorities and companies, including Etihad, to contain the spread of the coronavirus and to help minimise its effects around the world. As the national airline, we stand in full support of the UAE government’s decision, and are confident that we’re well prepared to weather the commercial and operational impact this suspension will have on our services.”

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