travel

Many airlines continue to suspend routes

Passengers flying to and from Dubai are facing schedule changes after several international airlines suspended, cancelled or delayed the resumption of services because of the ongoing situation in the Middle East.

The disruption, which began at the start of the conflict on February 28, affects carriers across Europe, North America and Asia, with some Dubai routes paused until August, September or the end of the summer season. Travellers with confirmed bookings are being advised to check airline websites and apps before heading to the airport, as schedules remain subject to further changes.

Aegean Airlines has cancelled flights to and from Dubai until August 31, while Air Canada has cancelled flights to Dubai and Tel Aviv until September 7. Cathay Pacific has suspended Dubai and Riyadh flights until August 31, and Singapore Airlines has extended the suspension of its Singapore-Dubai service until August 2.

British Airways has pushed back several Middle East routes, with flights to Dubai, Tel Aviv, Bahrain and Amman paused until the end of the summer season and scheduled to resume on October 25. The airline is also expected to return with a reduced schedule on some routes, including Dubai.

European carriers pull back

The biggest disruption is coming from European carriers, as airlines are still adjusting capacity across the Middle East due to airspace risk remaining a concern.

Air France has suspended flights to Dubai and Beirut until June 17, while KLM has suspended flights to Dubai until August 2. KLM flights to Riyadh and Dammam are suspended until July 12.

Lufthansa Group carriers are also maintaining a wide range of suspensions in the Middle East. Lufthansa, SWISS and ITA Airways will continue to suspend flights to Dubai until September 13, while Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian Airlines and Brussels Airlines have suspended flights to Abu Dhabi, Amman, Beirut, Dammam, Riyadh, Erbil, Muscat and Tehran until October 24.

Eurowings, the Lufthansa Group’s low-cost carrier, has suspended flights to Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Amman until October 24.

Wizz Air has suspended flights from mainland Europe to Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Amman until mid-September, while flights to Medina have been cancelled indefinitely.

Some routes are returning

The disruption is not uniform across the market, with some airlines gradually restoring flights while others remain cautious.

Air Astana is set to resume regular flights from Almaty to Dubai from June 20, with Astana-Dubai services beginning on July 10. The airline has adjusted flight paths to operate via Pakistan because of the closure of Iranian airspace, saying the change is aimed at maintaining safety and reliability.

The Almaty-Dubai route is expected to increase from limited weekly services to daily flights by July 6, while Astana-Dubai will start with three weekly flights from July 10 before expanding to daily services by August 3.

Passengers holding rebooked tickets for departures up to July 31 can change bookings free of charge to earlier flights from June 20 for Almaty departures and from July 10 for Astana departures.

Aegean said it is continuing to monitor developments in line with instructions from aviation authorities and will keep adjusting its schedule on affected routes. Passengers whose flights are cancelled can request a refund or credit voucher, or change their tickets through the airline’s call centre without a reissue charge or fare difference.

What passengers should do

Passengers booked on affected Dubai flights should check their airline’s website or app before leaving for the airport, because schedules are changing by carrier and by route.

Those travelling during the summer should also check whether their airline is offering a refund, credit voucher, free date change or rerouting through another hub. Airlines including Aegean, Cathay Pacific and Air Astana have set out options for affected customers, although policies differ depending on ticket type, travel date and point of purchase.

Cathay Pacific said customers booked to travel during the affected period may rebook, reroute or refund tickets under its waiver policy. “We are monitoring the situation closely and will remain agile in our response. The safety of our customers and people guides every decision we make,” the airline said in a statement.

Virgin Atlantic has also brought forward the end of its seasonal London-Dubai operation, saying, “The recent escalation in the Middle East has brought forward the end of our operation for this season.”

GN With inputs from Reuters.

travel

Top 10 countries with the highest Schengen visa rejection

While thousands of UAE residents are currently scrambling to lock in travel plans ahead of the upcoming two-month school summer holiday, a smooth European getaway is far from a guarantee. In fact, choosing the wrong diplomatic mission right now could completely derail your vacation before it even begins.

The latest visa statistics from the European Commission reveal a stark reality for local holidaymakers: while some European nations welcome travellers with open arms, including giving them multiple-entry Schengen visas, a select group of consulates inside the UAE are proving to be major brick walls.

Surge in applications

Globally, the EU and Schengen-associated consulates received nearly 12 million applications for short-stay visas in 2025, a 1.8 percent increase from 2024 (11.7 million) and a 15.5 percent rise from 2023 (10.3 million). However, overall demand remained well below the 17 million applications recorded in 2019 before the Covid-19 pandemic.

10 million visas

Over 10 million visas were issued globally in 2025, a 3 percent increase from 2024 (9.7 million). While the global refusal rate held steady at 14.8 percent, rejection rates inside the UAE tell a wildly different story for certain destinations, with several consulates turning away more than a third — and in some cases, over half — of all local applicants.

Highest rejection rates

Data reveals that Bulgaria is statistically the hardest Schengen visa to secure in the UAE. The country maintains a staggering official rejection rate of 58.2 percent, turning away 2,473 applicants out of 4,494 requests.

Luxembourg follows closely as the second-hardest destination, with a 48.5 percent rejection rate, meaning nearly one out of every two UAE applicants is denied. Estonia takes the third spot with a refusal rate of 46.4 percent across its 468 applications.

The high-volume traps

While smaller European states often see high percentages due to lower application volumes, several massive, mainstream holiday destinations in the UAE are operating as major rejection traps for unsuspecting holidaymakers.

Malta rejected 45.9 percent of its 7,079 applicants in the UAE, while Croatia denied 42.6 percent of the 2,092 people who applied. Meanwhile, Nordic favourite Sweden maintained a strict barrier, rejecting 40.7 percent of its 6,312 local applicants.

Popular Eastern European hub Hungary crossed the 10,000-application milestone in the UAE but proved to be highly exclusive, turning down 35.2 percent (3,636 applicants) of its total pool. Poland also sits high on the refusal leaderboard at 32.5 percent.

Rounding out the top 10 hardest states are Denmark and Slovakia. Denmark processed a massive 17,288 applications from the UAE but handed out rejections to 31.8 percent of them, while Slovakia refused 31.5 percent of its 1,110 applicants.

Smart travel strategy

The data indicates that instead of gambling on boutique destinations or strict Nordic states, smart UAE travellers should anchor their summer holiday itineraries with diplomatic heavyweights like Spain, France, or Germany, all of which boast significantly higher pure approval rates locally.

Gulf news

travel

Saudi Arabia bans in-flight power bank charging

operating at the Kingdom’s airports, updating regulations governing the carriage of portable chargers, commonly known as power banks, and other electronic devices onboard aircraft.

The authority announced the updated rules on social media, saying the measures are aimed at enhancing aviation safety and aligning with international standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization.

Charging power banks onboard banned

Under the new regulations, passengers and cabin crew are prohibited from recharging portable power banks during flights.

The authority said the measures are intended to strengthen aviation safety and security across all flights operating in the Kingdom.

Power banks allowed only in cabin baggage

The updated rules also state that power banks must be carried only in hand luggage inside the aircraft cabin and are strictly prohibited in checked baggage.

Passengers will be allowed to carry a maximum of two portable chargers each onboard.

As an added precautionary measure, the authority further recommended avoiding the use of power banks to charge electronic devices during flights.

travel

UAE restores normal air traffic operations

The General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) has announced that air traffic in the UAE’s airspace has returned to normal operations, with temporary precautionary measures lifted.

The authority said the decision followed a comprehensive assessment of operational and security conditions, carried out in coordination with relevant entities. It stressed that real-time monitoring will continue to ensure the highest levels of aviation safety.

The GCAA also expressed its appreciation for the cooperation of passengers and airlines during the recent period, reaffirming the readiness of its technical and operational teams to respond to any potential developments.

It urged the public to rely on official sources for information.