Passengers travelling through the UAE on Wednesday, September 23, are facing a fresh wave of flight delays and cancellations, with disruptions reported at Dubai International Airport (DXB), Dubai World Central (DWC), Zayed International Airport in Abu Dhabi and Sharjah International Airport.
Several India-bound flights have been pushed back by hours, while services involving Tehran, Muscat, Riyadh and other regional destinations have also been affected. Flight schedules remain subject to change, making direct checks with airlines particularly important for passengers travelling today.
Dubai flights see lengthy delays
The disruption is particularly visible on some Dubai departures.
A flight to Dhaka that was scheduled to leave Dubai at 2:20am was showing a revised departure time of 12:20pm. SpiceJet services to Kozhikode and Kochi were also listed with significant delays, with the Kozhikode service moved from noon to 8:25pm and the Kochi flight shifted from 3:40pm to 11:55pm.
Other affected departures included Air India Express, Saudi Airlines and several SpiceJet services. Some flights to Kozhikode, Jaipur and Delhi were listed as cancelled, alongside a Pakistan International Airlines service to Lahore. Flight information also showed instances where a service appeared in both delay and cancellation listings, underlining the need for passengers to rely on the latest airline confirmation rather than an earlier schedule.
At Dubai World Central, a flight to Tehran scheduled for midday was listed as cancelled.
Arrivals into Dubai also affected
The disruption was not limited to departures.
Several flights arriving in Dubai were running hours behind their scheduled times. A SpiceJet service from Kochi, for example, was listed with a substantially later arrival, while another service from Mumbai was shown with an evening arrival instead of its original 11am schedule.
Flydubai flights from Minsk and Moscow were also among the delayed services. Other affected arrivals included flights from Riyadh, Edinburgh, Saint Petersburg, Amritsar, Islamabad, Bangkok, Baghdad, Los Angeles and several European cities.
Emirates flight EK902 from Amman and flights arriving from Tehran and Abha were among the cancellations listed for Dubai-area airports.
Abu Dhabi and Sharjah also see cancellations
Travellers using Abu Dhabi’s Zayed International Airport are also seeing schedule changes.
Oman Air’s flight WY636 to Muscat was listed as cancelled, while an Air Arabia Abu Dhabi service to Cairo was delayed. An Etihad flight arriving from Riyadh was also listed with a revised arrival time.
Sharjah International Airport has seen several Air Arabia cancellations involving destinations including Gassim, Kuwait, Bahrain and Doha. A flydubai service between Dubai and Abha was also listed as cancelled.
Regional airspace conditions continue to affect schedules
The latest disruption comes as aviation operators across the region continue to manage the effects of changing airspace conditions.
Iran’s Civil Aviation Organization said flights from Tehran to Baghdad and Muscat were due to be cancelled from midnight on Wednesday, while authorities were discussing alternative arrangements for Baghdad-bound services. The regional aviation situation has previously affected routing, diversions and traffic flows through neighbouring airspace. An International Civil Aviation Organization document on the regional crisis described how restrictions and closures in neighbouring airspace had affected traffic patterns and operational planning.
The wider operating environment remains fluid. Reuters reported last week that flydubai was operating at about 85 per cent of its network capacity and expected to return to full capacity by the end of 2026, while European aviation restrictions and security considerations continued to influence some Gulf services.
At the same time, airlines continue to expand or restore parts of their UAE networks. flydubai, for example, launched its planned daily Dubai-Pokhara service on September 23, adding another Nepal connection to its network.
What UAE passengers should do
Travellers departing from Dubai, Abu Dhabi or Sharjah should check the status of their individual flight directly with the operating airline before leaving for the airport.
Airport schedules can change after an initial delay or cancellation listing. Emirates provides a live flight-status tool that allows passengers to check services by flight number or route, while Dubai World Central also provides an airport flight-status facility.
Passengers should also allow additional time for airport procedures if their airline confirms that the flight is operating, particularly when schedules have changed repeatedly.
For passengers with connecting flights, a delay on the first sector can affect onward travel. Checking the complete itinerary with the airline is therefore advisable before travelling to the airport.
The situation remains subject to further schedule changes as airlines and airports respond to regional operating conditions.
What happened to UAE flights on September 23, 2026?
Several flights departing from and arriving in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah were delayed or cancelled on September 23, affecting domestic and international connections.
Which UAE airports are affected?
Disruptions were reported at Dubai International Airport, Dubai World Central, Zayed International Airport in Abu Dhabi and Sharjah International Airport.
Are UAE-India flights affected?
Yes. Several flights involving Delhi, Mumbai, Kochi and Kozhikode were listed with delays or cancellations.
Are flights to Iran and Oman affected?
Yes. A Dubai World Central service to Tehran and Oman Air services involving Muscat were among the flights listed as cancelled.
Should passengers still go to the airport?
Passengers should first confirm their latest flight status directly with the operating airline. If the flight is confirmed to operate, they should follow the airline’s check-in and arrival instructions.
Can flight times change after a delay is announced?
Yes. Flight schedules can be revised again, so passengers should check the latest status shortly before travelling.
Where can Emirates passengers check their flight status?
Emirates provides an official online flight-status tool where passengers can check flights by flight number or route.
