It was Saturday afternoon and Elena and Marina, two sisters from Malaga aged 29 and 32, were visiting a mosque in Abu Dhabi when their phones vibrated at the same time. It was an alert from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in Arabic and English: seek shelter due to a possible missile attack. Seconds later, the sirens went off. Near them there was a US military base, and they could see the column of smoke. That was on 28 February. They have been waiting ever since to return to Spain.
Dubai suddenly turned into a trap for thousands of tourists from all over the world. The emirate’s airports closed, more than 3,000 flights were cancelled across the region and the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs estimated that some 30,000 compatriots had been stranded in the Middle East. The cause: Operation Epic Fury, the attack launched by the United States and Israel against Iran last weekend.
Dubai under fire: what happened on 28 February
The Dubai International Airport, the busiest in the world, shut down without prior notice after Iranian missile attacks against the United Arab Emirates. At least four people were injured at the Dubai airfield itself, while in Abu Dhabi there was one fatality and seven injured in a drone attack.
Tourists who were already in the terminals went through hours of absolute chaos. There were “endless” queues to get a taxi, no airline counters with staff, and zero official information. A group of Spaniards who met at Dubai airport organised themselves spontaneously and put up a handwritten sign to find each other: just the word “Spaniards”.
The airspace: closed, then partially reopened
When the regional airspace was closed, the impact was immediate: two fifths of the 3,800 flights scheduled for 2 March were cancelled, according to data firm Cirium. Dubai was left practically cut off from the world for several days.
From 4 March, a partial and controlled reopening began. Emirates announced more than 100 flights between 5 and 6 March, giving priority to passengers with confirmed bookings and essential cargo — medicines and perishable goods. Dubai Airports reported that in the first 84 hours of partial reopening, more than 1,140 flights were operated from its two terminals, offering 105,000 outbound seats.
Spaniards stranded: hotels at 470 euros, silent embassy
Elena and Marina had to look for emergency accommodation in Abu Dhabi without having anything booked. They found it with the help of their travel agent in Malaga, who put them in contact with another group of compatriots. The hotel costs them 470 euros per night and they have already paid for two nights. Faced with the lack of official information, they turned to ChatGPT to find safe areas to stay.
The most repeated complaint among Spanish tourists is the same: the Embassy reacted late, replied with automatic emails and always gave the same advice — to follow the Foreign Ministry’s social media channels. At Doha airport, Italian and French diplomatic staff were walking through the terminals looking for their nationals. Spaniards had to explain that they could not help them because it had to be the Spanish authorities who did so.
Iberia and Air Europa: when will flights to Dubai resume?
Iberia is keeping its flights to Tel Aviv and Doha cancelled at least until 10 March, while it assesses the evolution of the conflict day by day for its routes to Dubai. Air Europa has relaxed its change policy and allows tickets issued before 1 March to be modified or refunded. The suspension of Doha flights alone is costing Iberia around 1.2 million euros per day in revenue, according to CTAIRA analysts.
Affected passengers are being rebooked on alternative routes with layovers in London or Frankfurt, although the available tickets to leave the area have reached prohibitive prices. Some travellers in Oman are unable to find seats by any route.
| Airline | Suspended destination | Planned resumption date |
|---|---|---|
| Iberia | Tel Aviv / Doha | At least 10 March |
| Air Europa | Tel Aviv / Dubai | Daily assessment from 4 March |
| Emirates | Dubai (partial) | Limited operations from 5 March |
| Lufthansa | Dubai / Abu Dhabi | Suspended until 8 March |
| Wizz Air | Dubai / Abu Dhabi | Suspended until 7 March |
Dubai after the crisis: outlook and advice for travellers
Emirates has stated that it plans to recover 100% of its capacity as soon as the stability of the regional airspace allows it. The gradual reopening is already a reality, but the situation remains subject to the evolution of the conflict in Iran, so any timetable can change within hours.
If you have a trip booked to Dubai in the coming weeks, the smartest move is to wait before cancelling: airlines are offering free date changes and full refunds for flights issued before 1 March. Check directly with your carrier and keep an eye on the alerts from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on its official channels, as that is where travel recommendations for the area are updated first.
