Dubai caps foreign flights until May 31, Indian airlines face sharp hit

Dubai has imposed temporary restrictions on foreign airlines operating into its airports until May 31, a move linked to the ongoing Iran crisis that is expected to disproportionately affect Indian carriers.

Under measures communicated by Dubai Airports, foreign airlines are limited to a single daily rotation to either Dubai International Airport or Al Maktoum International Airport during the period from April 20 to May 31, extending curbs first introduced after the outbreak of the conflict, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

The restrictions have raised concerns over capacity constraints at one of the world’s busiest aviation hubs.

In a private email to carriers dated March 27, Dubai Airports said:

“Carriers continue to be limited to one rotation per day, until capacity allows more to be facilitated ... Additional slots will be allocated if capacity is available.”

The curbs come at a sensitive time for Indian airlines, which had scheduled more services to Dubai than carriers from any other country during the summer period. The Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA), which represents IndiGo, Air India and SpiceJet, has urged New Delhi to press Dubai for a rollback of the measures and warned that reciprocal action against UAE carriers could be considered if the restrictions remain.

India was the largest source of passengers for Dubai International Airport in 2025, accounting for 11.9 million travellers, underscoring the scale of exposure for Indian operators.

Airline scheduling data show that Indian carriers will bear the brunt of the capacity cap, with hundreds of planned flights in April and May potentially affected. Air India and its low-cost arm Air India Express had over 750 scheduled flights to Dubai in the period, while IndiGo had 481, and SpiceJet 61.

Other international carriers, including Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines and British Airways, had already reduced or cancelled services to Dubai through the end of May, instead reallocating capacity to other long-haul routes amid shifting demand patterns.

By Aghakazim Guliyev