Tuesday 03 / March / 2026
Dubai : In a major relief to thousands of Indians stranded in the UAE, flights from Dubai and Abu Dhabi to India resumed on Monday night, with services to Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru taking off after days of suspension.
The mood was one of relief and joy as an air hostess aboard Emirates flight EK568 from Dubai to Bengaluru welcomed passengers with a warm announcement.
"Welcome onboard this flight to Bengaluru. Yes, this is the first flight," she said, setting the tone for what was an emotional moment for many on board.
Sanjeev Mehta, a passenger on the Dubai-Bengaluru Emirates flight, expressed his gratitude and excitement as the aircraft prepared to depart.
"Thanks to the UAE authorities for starting the flights. We just boarded the flight to Bengaluru, India. This is one of the first few flights which have started," he told ANI.
Mehta added that travellers had little time to prepare. "We were given a very short notice to book the tickets but we were able to book some tickets and rush to the airport. As of now, I am excited that I am going back home," he said.
An Emirates flight from Dubai to Mumbai landed safely at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport on Tuesday as flight operations gradually resumed following disruptions triggered by the escalating West Asian conflict.
Emirates flight EK 500 arrived in Mumbai amid tight coordination between airport authorities and airline officials, bringing relief to stranded passengers who had faced uncertainty over the past few days due to widespread cancellations and delays.
Ajay, a passenger on board the flight, recounted the tense situation in Dubai. Speaking to ANI, he said, "We had a flight to the USA from Dubai. When it didn't take off, we thought there might be some issues with the flight. After 7-8 hours, we were told that a war had broken out," he said.
He added that the airline arranged accommodation for stranded travellers. "Buses from Emirates came and took all the passengers to the hotels. As soon as we came to know that the flight to Mumbai would leave, we immediately contacted them and came here. Slowly, the situation is getting controlled there," Ajay said.
In a similar development, the first flight from Abu Dhabi landed at the Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru on Monday night, bringing back passengers affected by the disruption in air travel services.
A traveller who had been stranded in Abu Dhabi praised the arrangements made by Etihad Airways. Speaking to ANI, the passenger said, "Once we got stuck in the Abu Dhabi airport, Etihad Airways took good care of us. They booked the hotels for all the passengers whose flights were cancelled."
Meanwhile, another Emirates flight from Dubai to Bengaluru departed on Monday night, as operations at Dubai airports began to partially resume.
Dubai Airports confirmed that a limited resumption of operations would begin on the evening of March 2 (Monday), with a small number of flights permitted to operate from Dubai International Airport (DXB) and Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC).
With flights gradually taking to the skies once again, normalcy is slowly returning to the UAE, and for the thousands of Indians eager to get home, the wait is finally coming to an end.
With flights gradually taking to the skies once again, normalcy is slowly returning to the UAE, and for the thousands of Indians eager to get home, the wait is finally coming to an end.
