Live updates: Emirates plans limited takeoffs as flydubai grounds flights at DXB

Keeep posted to the latest developments around flights in the GCC as the regional situation develops

16 March, 2026

Live updates: Emirates plans limited takeoffs as flydubai grounds flights at DXB

Article Summary

On March 12th, Air India and Air India Express will jointly operate 58 flights to/from West Asia, including scheduled and ad-hoc services to UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Oman. Qatar Airways, flydubai and Etihad are operating a reduced flight network, and are rerouting flights due to airspace closures, offering rebooking options and passenger support.

Monday, 9:51am

Flight operations in Dubai faced disruptions Monday morning, with airlines issuing urgent travel updates for passengers departing from Dubai International Airport (DXB).

Emirates said it expects to operate a limited schedule beginning at 10:00am Dubai local time, though some flights scheduled for the day have already been cancelled.

In an operational update, the airline said affected passengers would receive direct communication regarding cancellations and rebooking options. Travelers have been urged to confirm the status of their flights before heading to the airport.

“Please check flight status on emirates.com, to ensure your flight is operating before heading to the airport,” the airline said in a statement.

Passengers who need to change their travel plans can amend bookings or rebook flights online within 72 hours of their original departure time through the airline’s booking management tools.

flydubai temporarily suspends operations

Meanwhile, flydubai announced a temporary suspension of flights to and from Dubai International Airport, adding to the disruption for travelers.

The airline advised customers scheduled to travel Monday not to go to the airport until they receive confirmation that their flight will operate.

“The safety of our passengers and crew remains our top priority,” flydubai said, noting that updates will be issued as soon as more information becomes available.

Passengers are also encouraged to check flight status updates and ensure their contact details are current through the airline’s booking system.

Air India and Air India Express will together operate 58 scheduled and non-scheduled flights to and from West Asia on March 12, expanding connectivity between India and key destinations in the Gulf.

The airline group confirmed that both carriers will deploy a mix of scheduled services and additional ad hoc flights across the region, including operations to the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Oman.

As part of the expanded schedule, Air India and Air India Express will each operate a non-scheduled round-trip flight to Riyadh in Saudi Arabia, departing from Mumbai and Kozhikode respectively.

Scheduled flights to Jeddah and Muscat

Alongside the special operations, the two carriers will continue scheduled services on key routes linking India with Saudi Arabia and Oman.

A total of 10 flights will operate to and from Jeddah, while Air India Express will operate eight scheduled flights to and from Muscat.

Air India will run one round-trip from Delhi and two round-trips from Mumbai to Jeddah, while Air India Express will operate one round-trip each from Bengaluru and Kozhikode to the Saudi city.

Air India Express will also maintain scheduled operations to Muscat, with one round-trip each from Delhi and Mumbai and two round-trips from Kozhikode, according to the airline group.

Additional non-scheduled flights planned

Beyond scheduled services, Air India and Air India Express plan to operate 40 additional non-scheduled flights to and from the UAE and Saudi Arabia, subject to slot availability and prevailing conditions at departure airports.

The airline group said the additional services are being operated with the necessary permissions from Indian and local aviation regulators.

Summary of scheduled, non-scheduled, and temporarily suspended operations on March 12, 2026

Country	Airport	Scheduled Operations	Ad Hoc Operations	Operating Sectors
UAE	Dubai	No	Yes	Air India Express – Bengaluru, Delhi, Mumbai x 2
	Dubai	No	Yes	Air India – Delhi x 2, Mumbai x 3
	Abu Dhabi	No	Yes	Air India Express – Bengaluru, Mumbai
	Ras Al Khaimah	No	Yes	Air India Express – Bengaluru, Delhi, Kochi, Mumbai x 2
	Sharjah	No	Yes	Air India Express – Bengaluru, Mumbai
	Al Ain	No	No	__
Oman	Muscat	Yes	No	Air India Express – Delhi, Mumbai, Kozhikode x 2
Oman	Salalah	No	No	__
Saudi Arabia	Jeddah	Yes	No	Air India Express – Bengaluru, Kozhikode
	Jeddah	Yes	No	Air India – Delhi, Mumbai x 2
	Riyadh	No	Yes	Air India Express – Kozhikode
	Riyadh	No	Yes	Air India – Mumbai
	Dammam	No	No	__
Bahrain	Bahrain	No	No	__
Qatar	Doha	No	No	__
Kuwait	Kuwait	No	No	__
Israel	Tel Aviv	No	No	__

Global services continue as scheduled

The airline group said that all Air India flights to and from North America, Europe, Australia and other regions will continue to operate as scheduled.

In addition, 78 extra flights will run between March 10 and March 18 to destinations including Europe, the United States, Sri Lanka and the Maldives, helping manage passenger demand during the period.

Rebooking and passenger support

Passengers affected by routes where Air India Group’s scheduled services remain temporarily suspended can rebook their travel for a later date at no additional cost or opt for a full refund, the airline said.

Air India passengers can submit rebooking or cancellation requests through the airline’s website at http://airindia.com. For additional assistance, travelers may contact the airline’s 24-hour customer support hotlines at +911169329333 or +911169329999.

Air India Express passengers departing from the UAE can also rebook their flights without additional charges on the airline’s additional commercial services operating from any UAE station to destinations in India.

The airline group said it is proactively reaching out to impacted travelers using the mobile numbers registered with the airline to provide rebooking options and updates.

Passengers are encouraged to ensure that their current mobile numbers are updated in airline records so they can receive timely notifications.

Air India Express customers with active bookings can also rebook their travel through the airline’s AI-powered digital assistant Tia on WhatsApp at +91 63600 12345.

The airline group added that it is continuing to explore opportunities to operate additional ad hoc flights to and from West Asia, depending on regulatory approvals and airport slot availability.

Tuesday, 10:00am

Flight operations across parts of the Gulf remain disrupted as airlines work to restore services following the temporary closure of Qatari airspace, prompting major carriers to implement limited schedules and passenger support measures.

Qatar Airways confirmed that its scheduled operations remain temporarily suspended due to the closure of the country’s airspace. The airline said flights will fully resume only after the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority declares that the skies over the country are safe to reopen.

“Qatar Airways will resume operations once the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority announces the safe full reopening of Qatari airspace by the relevant authorities,” the airline said in an update.

However, the airline has received temporary authorisation to operate a limited number of flights through designated corridors in order to help stranded travelers reach their destinations.

Recovery flights scheduled from Doha

Under the temporary plan, Qatar Airways intends to operate several flights from Doha over the coming days to reconnect passengers and reduce travel disruptions.

On March 10, flights departing from Doha are expected to include services to Cairo, London Heathrow, Jeddah, Manila, Kochi, Muscat, Istanbul, Mumbai, Delhi, Nairobi, Islamabad, Madrid, Frankfurt, Colombo, Milan, and Moscow.

Additional routes are scheduled for March 11, including Toronto, Dallas/Fort Worth, Paris, Rome, Hong Kong, Seoul, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, and Melbourne.

Arrivals into Doha will also take place in stages. On March 10, incoming flights include services from Seoul, Moscow, London Heathrow, Delhi, Madrid, Islamabad, Beijing, Perth, Nairobi, and Istanbul.

Further arrivals are planned for March 11 and March 12, covering cities such as Cairo, Toronto, Dallas/Fort Worth, Paris, Rome, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, and Melbourne.

The airline emphasised that these flights are part of a temporary recovery schedule and do not represent a full return to regular commercial operations.

Travellers are also urged not to arrive at airports unless they hold confirmed tickets.

“The safety and wellbeing of our passengers and crew remain our highest priority during this period of disruption,” the airline said, adding that it “sincerely apologises for the inconvenience caused by the current situation.”

To help affected passengers, Qatar Airways said travellers with confirmed bookings between February 28 and March 22, 2026, are eligible for flexible travel options. These include two complimentary date changes of up to 14 days from the original travel date or a refund of the unused portion of the ticket.

Tuesday, 9:00am

flydubai operating reduced network

Meanwhile, Dubai-based carrier flydubai said it continues to operate flights across its network on a reduced schedule as it navigates the ongoing disruption.

Passengers booked to travel between February 28 and March 31 are permitted to rebook flights to the same destination or another location within the airline’s network up to 30 days from the original travel date without penalty charges.

However, the airline warned that customers connecting through Dubai will only be permitted to travel if their onward flights are confirmed to be operating.

Travel times may also be longer than usual due to temporary changes in flight routes.

“Flight durations and transit times in Dubai may be longer than usual due to the temporary rerouting of some flight paths,” the airline said.

The airline also stressed that travelers should not go to the airport unless they have a confirmed booking or official confirmation of a rebooked flight.

Tuesday, 08:00

Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Airways has published its latest flight roster. Details posted below:

Monday, 10:00pm

Posted below is a latest statement from Air India on their flight status in the GCC.

Air India and Air India Express will operate their respective scheduled services to and from Jeddah and Muscat on 10 March 2026, with the airspaces over Saudi Arabia and Oman remaining open. The two airlines will together operate a total of 14 flights to and from Jeddah and Air India Express will operate 14 flights to and from Muscat.

On 10 March 2026, Air India will operate one round-trip from Delhi and two round trips from Mumbai to Jeddah, and Air India Express will operate one round-trip each from Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Mangaluru, and Kozhikode.

Air India Express will also operate its scheduled services to Muscat, including one round-trip each from Delhi, Kannur, Kochi, Mumbai, Thiruvananthapuram and Tiruchirappalli.

Additional, non-scheduled flights

In addition to the scheduled services, Air India and Air India Express would operate a total of 32 ad-hoc non-scheduled flights between Indian cities and United Arab Emirates (UAE) on 10 March 2026, subject to availability of slots and other conditions prevailing at the respective point of departure at the time. These flights are being operated with the requisite permissions from the relevant Indian and local regulatory authorities.

While Air India would operate 10 non-scheduled flights to and from Dubai, including three roundtrips from Mumbai and two round-trips from Delhi, Air India Express will operate one round-trip each to Dubai from Mumbai and Bengaluru.

Air India Express will operate 18 non-scheduled flights to and from other emirates of the UAE, including one round-trip each to Abu Dhabi from Bengaluru and Mumbai, one round-trip each to Sharjah from Bengaluru and Mumbai, and one-round trip each to Ras Al-Khaimah from Delhi, Bengaluru, Kochi, and two round-trips from Mumbai.

Cancellation of scheduled operations to other points in West Asia

Air India group’s scheduled operations until 13 March 2026 to and from other points in the West Asia have been cancelled. Guests booked to travel on any of the cancelled flights may conveniently rebook to a future date at no additional charge or opt for a full refund.

Air India guests are advised to raise their rebooking or cancellation requests on the airline’s website at http://airindia.com.For more information, please contact the 24×7 customer support hotline at +911169329333 or +911169329999.

Air India Express guests booked to travel from any station in the UAE can conveniently rebook their flights without additional charges on Air India Express’ additional commercial flights operating from any UAE station to any destination in India.

Example:
A guest with an active booking on a cancelled Dubai – Jaipur flight can now move their booking to a Ras Al Khaimah – Delhi flight at no extra cost.

Air India and Air India Express are proactively reaching out to impacted guests using the mobile numbers registered with the airline to provide rebooking options. Guests are requested to ensure their current and active mobile numbers are updated with the airline to receive these important notifications.

Air India Express guests with active bookings can also rebook their flights through the airline’s AIpowered digital assistant Tia, available on WhatsApp at +91 63600 12345.

Air India group is exploring every opportunity to operate other additional ad-hoc flights to and from destinations in West Asia.

Monday, 11:00am

Major Gulf carriers including Qatar Airways, Oman Air and Gulf Air announced operational changes over the weekend, while key airports in Saudi Arabia warned travelers of possible disruptions. The situation has led to temporary suspensions, limited operating corridors and revised schedules as aviation authorities monitor developments across the region.

Airlines say the changes are being implemented to ensure safety while minimising disruption for passengers affected by the closures.

“The safety and wellbeing of our passengers and crew remain our highest priority during this period of disruption,” Qatar Airways said in a statement. The airline added that it “sincerely apologise[s] for the inconvenience caused by the current situation, which is beyond our control, and thank[s] our passengers for their patience and understanding.”

Qatar Airways outlines limited flight operations

Qatar Airways said its scheduled flight operations remain temporarily suspended due to the closure of Qatari airspace and will only resume fully once the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority confirms that the airspace has safely reopened.

However, the airline has received temporary authorisation to operate within limited corridors, allowing a restricted number of flights to operate in the coming days. These flights are intended primarily to assist passengers who were stranded due to the disruption and help reunite them with family members.

Flights departing from Doha on March 9 include services to Seoul, Moscow, London Heathrow, Delhi, Madrid, Islamabad, Beijing, Perth, Nairobi and Istanbul.

Additional departures scheduled for 10 March include Cairo, London Heathrow, Jeddah, Manila, Kochi, Muscat, Istanbul, Mumbai, Delhi, Nairobi, Islamabad, Madrid, Frankfurt, Colombo and Milan.

Inbound flights to Doha are expected to mirror that schedule, with arrivals on March 10, from Seoul, Moscow, London Heathrow, Delhi, Madrid, Islamabad, Beijing, Perth, Nairobi and Istanbul, followed by arrivals on March 11, from Cairo, London Heathrow, Jeddah, Manila, Kochi, Muscat, Istanbul, Mumbai, Delhi, Nairobi, Islamabad, Madrid, Frankfurt, Colombo and Milan.

Despite these arrangements, Qatar Airways stressed that the flights should not be interpreted as a full return to regular operations.

“These flights do not constitute a confirmation of resumption of scheduled commercial operations,” the airline said.

Passengers have also been asked not to travel to the airport unless they hold a confirmed ticket.

Saudi airports issue passenger advisories

Airports across Saudi Arabia have also warned travelers about possible schedule changes as the regional situation continues to evolve.

King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah advised passengers to verify their flight status directly with airlines before heading to the airport.

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“Due to the ongoing developments in the region that may affect the schedule of some flights, passengers are kindly advised to contact their airlines directly to confirm the latest updates regarding their flights before heading to the airport,” the airport said in a travel advisory.

The airport also urged passengers to rely on official communication channels for accurate information and assistance.

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Similarly, King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh issued a travel alert on 8 March advising travelers to check directly with their airlines if their destinations could be affected by current events.

“Passengers traveling to destinations impacted by current events are urged to check directly with their airlines for the latest flight updates before leaving for the airport,” the airport said.

Oman Air cancels multiple regional routes

Oman Air also announced widespread cancellations as a result of ongoing airspace closures across the region.

The airline said that from Monday, 9 March through Sunday, 15 March 2026, all flights to and from several destinations will be suspended.

Affected routes include Amman, Dubai, Bahrain, Doha, Dammam, Kuwait, Copenhagen, Baghdad and Khasab.

“Additional flights have been added to accommodate our guests,” the airline said in an update on its website.

Passengers have been advised to check the airline’s website regularly for updated schedules and to manage their bookings through its online platform or mobile application.

The airline added, “We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience caused and appreciate your understanding and cooperation during this time.”

Gulf Air suspends operations amid Bahrain airspace closure

Bahrain’s national carrier Gulf Air also confirmed that its operations have been temporarily suspended due to the closure of airspace in the Kingdom of Bahrain and surrounding areas.

The airline said services will resume once Bahrain Civil Aviation Affairs confirms that it is safe to reopen the affected airspace.

Passengers holding tickets for travel up to March 21 2026 are being offered flexible options, including free rebooking onto Gulf Air flights until May 16, 2026 or the option to request a refund.

Impacted passengers will be notified directly through the contact details listed in their booking, the airline said.

Travelers who booked through travel agents are advised to contact their agents directly, while those who booked through the airline can modify itineraries through the call center, website or mobile app.

Sunday, 19:00

Qatar Airways outlines limited flights from March 9 to 11

Qatar Airways has released further details on a limited number of flights operating to and from Doha’s Hamad International Airport between March 9 and 11.

Flights departing Doha (HIA)

March 9: Seoul (ICN), Moscow (SVO), London (LHR), Delhi (DEL), Madrid (MAD), Islamabad (ISB), Beijing (PKX), Perth (PER), Nairobi (NBO)

March 10: Cairo (CAI), London (LHR), Jeddah (JED), Manila (MNL), Cochin (COK), Muscat (MCT), Istanbul (IST), Mumbai (BOM), Delhi (DEL), Nairobi (NBO), Islamabad (ISB), Madrid (MAD), Frankfurt (FRA), Colombo (CMB), Milan (MXP)

Flights arriving in Doha (HIA)

March 10: Seoul (ICN), Moscow (SVO), London (LHR), Delhi (DEL), Madrid (MAD), Islamabad (ISB), Beijing (PKX), Perth (PER), Nairobi (NBO)

March 11: Cairo (CAI), London (LHR), Jeddah (JED), Manila (MNL), Cochin (COK), Muscat (MCT), Istanbul (IST), Mumbai (BOM), Delhi (DEL), Nairobi (NBO), Islamabad (ISB), Madrid (MAD), Frankfurt (FRA), Colombo (CMB), Milan (MXP)

The airline stressed that the flights do not represent a resumption of normal scheduled operations. Passengers have been advised not to travel to the airport unless they hold a valid confirmed ticket.

Qatar Airways said it will provide a further operational update on March 9.

Sunday, 16:00pm

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Sunday, 12:00pm
Oman Air has announced the cancellation of several flights amid ongoing airspace closures. Affected routes include flights to and from Amman (AMM), Dubai (DXB), Bahrain (BAH), Doha (DOH), Dammam (DMM), Kuwait (KWI), Copenhagen (CPH), Baghdad (BGW), and Khasab (KHS).

The airline said these cancellations will be in effect from March 9 through March 15 2026.

Sunday, 7:20am

Air India and Air India Express have provided a latest update on their flight status in the region. Posted below is a statement:

With airspace over Saudi Arabia and Oman remaining open, Air India and Air India Express continue to operate their scheduled services to and from Jeddah and Muscat. Air India is maintaining scheduled flights from Delhi and Mumbai to Jeddah and back. Air India Express continues scheduled operations connecting Muscat with Delhi, Kochi, Kozhikode, Mangaluru, Mumbai and Kannur, as well as services between Jeddah and Bengaluru, Kozhikode and Mangaluru.

Given the continued airspace restrictions in other parts of West Asia, both airlines are operating additional non-scheduled flights on 8 March, with approvals from the Indian and local authorities. Air India will operate additional non-scheduled flights from Delhi and Mumbai to Dubai and back, while Air India Express will operate 30 additional flights between India and UAE cities – Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Ras Al Khaimah and Sharjah.

The following scheduled flights are planned to operate on 8th March 2026:

The following additional non-scheduled flights are planned for 8 March. Since these flights are intended primarily for stranded travellers, priority will be given to guests holding existing bookings with either carrier.

All scheduled flights of Air India Express to and from Bahrain, Dammam, Doha, Kuwait, and Riyadh stand cancelled until 13 March, while Air India’s scheduled flights to and from Dammam, Doha and Riyadh remain cancelled until 10 March. Guests booked to travel on any of the cancelled flights may conveniently rebook to a future date at no additional charge or opt for a full refund.

Air India guests are advised to raise their rebooking or cancellation requests on the airline’s website at http://airindia.com. For more information, please contact the 24×7 customer support hotline at +911169329333 or +911169329999.

Air India Express guests booked to travel from any station in the UAE can conveniently rebook their flights without additional charges on Air India Express’ additional commercial flights operating from any UAE station to any destination in India.

Example:
A guest with an active booking on a cancelled Dubai – Jaipur flight can now move their booking to a Ras Al Khaimah – Delhi flight at no extra cost.

Air India and Air India Express are proactively reaching out to impacted guests using the mobile numbers registered with the airline to provide rebooking options. Guests are requested to ensure their current and active mobile numbers are updated with the airline to receive these important notifications.

Air India Express guests with active bookings can also rebook their flights through the airline’s AI‑powered digital assistant Tia, available on WhatsApp at +91 63600 12345.

Air India group is exploring every opportunity to operate other additional ad-hoc flights to and from destinations in West Asia.

Air India’s services to Europe (including the United Kingdom) and North America are operating as per schedule since 2 March 2026 on safe alternative routes. Due to the extended routing in the current circumstances, flights from India to North America are making technical stops at Rome (Fiumicino) or Vienna before continuing to the respective destinations.

Saturday, 2:00pm

Starting today, March 7, flight operations have partially resumed at both Dubai International Airport (DXB) and Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC). Some flights are now operating; however, schedules remain subject to change.

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Travellers are strongly advised not to go to the airport unless their airline has confirmed their flight. Airlines will contact passengers directly with updated flight information to ensure safe and timely travel.

Passengers are encouraged to regularly check with their airline for the latest updates and follow all travel advisories to avoid inconvenience.

Qatar’s air navigation partially restored

In Qatar, the Civil Aviation Authority has announced a partial resumption of air navigation through designated contingency routes, operating with limited capacity in coordination with the Qatari Armed Forces. This phase includes passenger evacuation flights and essential cargo services.

According to the Qatar News Agency, the move ensures the continued provision of critical air services amid regional disruptions, a WAM report said.

Airlines resume limited services

Several airlines have begun restarting operations on a limited scale:

Air Arabia is operating select flights to and from the UAE. Passengers whose flights were previously canceled can rebook if they have not yet used modification or refund options.

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Flights are available via the Air Arabia website, mobile app, or travel agents. “Customers whose flights remain cancelled will be notified directly via email and SMS with alternative options. Please don’t go to the airport unless you have been notified directly or hold a confirmed booking on the published flights,” the airline stated.

Saudia has partially resumed services to and from Dubai starting March 7, operating flights SV596 (Riyadh to Dubai), SV588 (Jeddah to Dubai), SV597 (Dubai to Riyadh), and SV589 (Dubai to Jeddah). Flights will initially operate on a limited schedule, with additional services expected to be restored progressively. Passengers may book through saudia.com
or the Saudia mobile app.

Gulf Air continues to suspend operations due to closed airspace in Bahrain and the region. Passengers can rebook flights or request refunds for tickets with original travel dates up to March 10, 2026. The airline emphasised checking flight status and keeping contact details updated to receive timely notifications.

Authorities across the UAE and Qatar advise travelers to monitor airline updates and refrain from going to airports unless confirmed bookings are in place. Airlines and aviation authorities are actively coordinating to restore services safely while prioritising passenger security.

Saturday, 11:39am

Emirates has resumed its flight operations today. Passengers with confirmed bookings for this afternoon’s flights are advised to proceed to the airport. This also applies to travellers transiting through Dubai, provided their connecting flights are operational.

Passengers are encouraged to check the flight schedule for upcoming departures and to book seats as needed. Emirates continues to monitor the situation closely and will adjust its operational schedule accordingly.

The airline expressed gratitude to customers for their patience and understanding, emphasizing that the safety of passengers and crew remains the highest priority.

Important notice: All city check‑in points across Dubai remain temporarily closed until further notice.

Customer advisory

Emirates customers with travel booked between February 28 and March 31 have the following options:

Rebooking on an alternate flight: Passengers can rebook to travel to their intended destination on or before April 30. Travelers who booked through a travel agent should contact their agent, while those who booked directly with Emirates can reach out to the airline.
Requesting a refund: Passengers who booked directly with Emirates can request a refund by completing the refund form. Those who booked through a travel agent should contact their agent for assistance.

Passengers are advised to verify their contact details via Manage Your Booking to ensure they receive timely updates.

Emirates Etihad GCC Air India UAE Indigo spicejet

Free Fazaa cards trigger heavy demand as website queues stretch past 1.5 hours

Residents trying to apply for the UAE’s newly announced free Fazaa discount cards are encountering long virtual queues as demand surges across the country

Gareth van Zyl

15 March, 2026

Free Fazaa cards trigger heavy demand as website queues stretch past 1.5 hours

Article Summary

Fazaa Programme's website is overwhelmed after the UAE announced free memberships for resident families for the Year of the Family 2026. Users face long virtual wait times to register. The surge reflects high demand for discounts, mirroring similar initiatives like The ENTERTAINER and free tickets at Atlantis Aquaventure and Miracle Garden.

UPDATE: After a period of downtime over the weekend, the Fazaa website has been back to normal this week. Read more by clicking here.

The website for the Fazaa Programme is experiencing extremely high traffic after the UAE announced free discount memberships for resident families as part of the Year of the Family 2026 initiative.

Visitors attempting to access the registration page on Sunday evening were placed into a virtual waiting line, with estimated wait times exceeding one hour and 30 minutes, according to a message displayed on the website.

“We are experiencing a high volume of traffic and using a virtual queue to limit the amount of users on the website at the same time,” the notice said.

“This will ensure you have the best possible online experience.”

The site also warns users not to close their browser, as the page will automatically refresh once it is their turn to access the platform.

The surge in demand comes after authorities announced that resident families across the UAE will be eligible to receive free Fazaa discount memberships, granting access to deals on travel, dining, shopping and entertainment across the country.

The membership will remain valid throughout 2026, which has been designated by the UAE as the Year of the Family.

How to apply

Families can register through the official Fazaa website, where applicants must submit personal details and upload Emirates ID copies for all family members.

To qualify, applicants must have at least one child, according to the programme guidelines.

Successful applicants receive a confirmation email and can activate their digital Fazaa membership through the mobile application.

Strong consumer demand

The rush to apply reflects strong demand for discount platforms across the UAE.

Earlier this week, Dubai-based lifestyle platform The ENTERTAINER said its own community initiative saw 250,000 memberships claimed within four hours after launch.

Speaking to Gulf Business, founder and CEO Donna Benton said the campaign exceeded expectations.

“The campaign has been phenomenal and has gone above and beyond. Our aim was to encourage support for our world-class hospitality industry – and our wildest expectations have been surpassed,” Benton said.

Discounts have been offered by other attractions in Dubai in recent days, including the likes of Atlantis Aquaventure and Miracle Garden.

UAE Fazaa

Understanding cloud infrastructure: Where does your financial data live?

The resilience, governance, and location of the infrastructure powering billions of daily transactions in the UAE are emerging as critical questions for banks, regulators, and technology providers

Gulf Business

15 March, 2026

Understanding cloud infrastructure: Where does your financial data live?

Image: Supplied

Article Summary

The UAE's financial sector, a key regional hub, faces growing concerns over infrastructure concentration in single cloud environments, creating operational risks. To enhance resilience and sovereignty, regulators urge diversification through hybrid and multi-cloud architectures. Huawei offers distributed computing solutions and secure network infrastructure designed for continuous operation, aligning with local regulations to support the UAE's digital economy goals.

Every financial transaction leaves a trail of data, and that data must exist somewhere. Where it resides, who governs it, and how resilient the infrastructure around it truly is have become some of the most consequential questions facing the UAE’s financial sector today.

The UAE processes billions of dirhams in financial transactions each day, while its banking sector acts as a capital gateway for businesses operating across the Middle East, Africa and South Asia. The Dubai International Financial Centre and Abu Dhabi Global Market together host thousands of regulated financial firms, creating one of the most active financial ecosystems anywhere in the world.

Over the past decade, cloud technology has transformed how this ecosystem operates. Banks introduced digital services at speed, expanded mobile banking platforms and modernised infrastructure that once relied entirely on internal systems. Many institutions moved quickly, concentrating a large share of their operational infrastructure within a single cloud environment because the model appeared efficient and straightforward. That convenience created a new structural exposure.

When a financial institution depends heavily on one provider for critical systems, the organisation effectively introduces a single operational dependency. If the provider experiences disruption through physical damage, a cyber incident or regulatory restrictions, the institution’s ability to serve its customers is affected immediately. In financial services, where trust is the foundation of every transaction, that exposure carries serious implications.

Sovereignty is a strategic priority

The question of digital control has therefore moved to the centre of financial infrastructure planning. Institutions and regulators increasingly recognise that economic resilience depends on infrastructure they can govern directly.

For the UAE, this issue carries national importance. The country’s Digital Economy Strategy aims for digital activity to contribute 19.4 per cent of GDP by 2031, with financial services forming a central pillar of that growth. Achieving that ambition requires infrastructure capable of remaining operational under difficult conditions, because resilience in financial systems means continuing to function through disruption rather than restoring services afterwards.

Why a second cloud pillar matters

The Central Bank of the UAE and the Dubai Financial Services Authority have strengthened guidance around cloud risk management and operational resilience, signalling concern about infrastructure concentration within a single provider. Financial institutions, therefore, face an important architectural decision.

Critical systems require a second infrastructure environment capable of supporting live operations. The environments must remain distinct, with separate infrastructure, locations and governance structures. Diversification reduces operational risk when the environments function independently.

Hybrid cloud architecture enables this structure. Sensitive financial data, including customer records, transaction histories and compliance archives, can remain within controlled environments governed directly by the institution, while cloud platforms support applications and digital services used by customers and employees.

Infrastructure designed for continuous operation

Huawei has focused its financial infrastructure portfolio on distributed computing environments that allow institutions to operate critical workloads across multiple infrastructure layers rather than depending on a single environment. Its banking infrastructure platform supports complex financial processing workloads across distributed systems, enabling institutions to maintain operational continuity even when infrastructure conditions change.

Network architecture also plays a critical role in connecting financial systems across multiple environments. As financial institutions across the UAE deepen their reliance on digital banking platforms, real-time payment systems and automated regulatory reporting, the resilience of the networks connecting these systems becomes as important as the computing infrastructure itself.

Technology providers are increasingly responding by developing infrastructure designed specifically for sectors where downtime carries financial and regulatory consequences. Companies such as Huawei, for example, have focused on building network, storage and cloud platforms intended for industries like banking, where systems must process high volumes of transactions while remaining continuously available.

Such infrastructure allows institutions to operate across distributed computing environments while maintaining stable connectivity, secure data storage and governance over critical financial information, supported by partner ecosystems that help translate global technology platforms into deployments aligned with local regulatory requirements.

For financial institutions in the UAE, this network provides access to expertise that aligns infrastructure deployments with regional regulatory and operational requirements. Jason Cao, CEO of Huawei Digital Finance BU, highlighted at MWC Barcelona 2026 that in today’s world of uncertainty, banks must build resilience across multiple dimensions, ensuring multi-active redundancy to prevent system failures, reinforcing multi-layer security against cyberattacks, and laying a solid foundation for global financial institutions to accelerate into the AI era.

Building the next phase of financial infrastructure

The UAE has spent years building one of the most advanced financial ecosystems in the region, supported by progressive regulation and strong technological ambition. The next phase of that development will depend on infrastructure capable of supporting continuous financial activity without introducing hidden dependencies.

Hybrid and multi-cloud architectures are therefore becoming essential components of financial infrastructure planning. For the UAE’s financial sector, the question is whether that infrastructure is resilient enough to carry the trust that the system now places on it.

Read: Huawei to power Brazil’s largest battery project

Technology huawei MWC 2026

How Petrochem is shaping the Middle East’s industrial future

From founder and chairman Yogesh Mehta to managing director Rohan Mehta and CEO Venu Nayar, the region’s biggest petrochemicals distributor sets out how a Dhs300m investment is just the start of the company’s next chapter

Gareth van Zyl

15 March, 2026

How Petrochem is shaping the Middle East’s industrial future

Article Summary

Petrochem's new Dhs300m Jebel Ali terminal signifies a transition from trading to asset-backed industrial operations. Founder Yogesh Mehta sees it as a culmination of his work, whilst his son, Rohan, views it as a platform for future growth. The investment reflects the UAE's shift towards manufacturing, capitalising on CEPA agreements and global supply chain disruptions.

Just days after Petrochem officially opened its new Dhs300m terminal in Jebel Ali, a ship carrying cargo worth around $20m (Dhs73m) quietly docked alongside the brand-new facility. There was no ceremony. No ribbon-cutting. Just a vessel easing into berth, product flowing into tanks, and business getting on with itself.

For Yogesh Mehta, founder and chairman of Petrochem Middle East — known to most simply as Yogi — the moment carried more weight than most.

“I’ve been watching ships come into Jebel Ali for over 30 years,” he tells Gulf Business. “But seeing one arrive here, at our own terminal, so soon after opening: that was a full-circle moment.”

That single docking neatly captured what Petrochem’s new terminal represents: not just a symbolic investment, but a fully operational piece of industrial infrastructure designed to work from day one — and for decades to come.

Petrochem’s journey mirrors Dubai’s own industrial rise.

When Mehta arrived in the early 1990s, Jebel Ali was still finding its footing as a regional logistics hub. Petrochem began as a modest chemical trading business, operating from rented offices and learning the trade alongside multinational producers already established in the free zone.

“I used to come here once a week from Al Rashidiya in Dubai,” Mehta recalls. “I would sit with regional directors from companies like Union Carbide, which later became part of Dow Chemical Company, and learn how the chemical business really works — how supply chains move, how value is created.”

Three decades on, Petrochem now shares a boundary wall with Dow Chemical Company at Jebel Ali. Its new terminal, the company’s largest to date, consolidates operations, logistics and corporate headquarters on a single, purpose-built site.

“To build a state-of-the-art terminal next to the company I once learned from is humbling,” Mehta says. “It’s a feeling of pride, but also responsibility.”

“For me, this is a full stop,” he adds. “For Rohan, it’s a comma.”

From founder-led growth to generational scale

If Yogesh Mehta represents Petrochem’s origin story, his son Rohan Mehta, managing director, represents its future — both father and son are Harvard Business School alumni.

“This isn’t just about adding capacity,” Rohan says. “It’s about building the platform for the next 30 years.”

More than a decade into the business, he sees the new terminal as the physical expression of Petrochem’s evolution from an entrepreneurial distributor into a fully asset-backed industrial operator.

“Our foundation is strong,” he says. “The challenge now is how we evolve without losing what made us successful.”

That evolution, Rohan argues, starts with people. Petrochem employs around 250 people globally, with roughly 150 based in Dubai, managing hundreds of container and truck movements every day across the Middle East, Africa and the Indian subcontinent.

“How do we attract talent? How do we give people confidence that this is a place to build a career?” he asks. “Owning infrastructure like this matters. It signals permanence.”

It also enables complexity. The new terminal introduces capabilities that remain rare in the region: stainless steel tanks for acids, temperature-controlled tanks for products such as styrene, and infrastructure that supports more sophisticated chemical handling and blending operations.

Beyond capacity, it also improves speed and control: reducing vessel turnaround times, tightening tank-to-ship connectivity and allowing customers shorter lead times and greater certainty of supply.

“This wasn’t built just for today’s volumes,” Rohan says. “It’s designed for future products, future customers and future markets.”

For him, the generational transition underway at Petrochem is less about handover and more about continuity.

“We’re not changing who we are,” he says. “We’re strengthening it.”

Why the timing matters

That long-term thinking sits at the heart of Petrochem’s Dhs300m investment, particularly at a time when much of the global chemical industry is navigating uncertainty. According to Venu Nayar, Petrochem’s chief executive officer, the timing is deliberate.

“The UAE is transitioning from a trading economy to a manufacturing base,” he says. “CEPA agreements, particularly with India, are accelerating that shift.”

From left to right: Yogesh Mehta, Venu Nayar and Rohan Mehta.

India, Nayar explains, is fundamentally a consumption-driven economy rather than a manufacturing powerhouse like China. With zero customs duties under CEPA and growing trade friction between India and China, manufacturers are increasingly using the UAE as a platform to serve regional markets.

“That increases demand for chemical raw materials,” he says. “By committing Dhs300m now, we’re positioning Petrochem ahead of the cycle, not reacting to it.”

The investment also reflects deeper structural shifts in the global economy. Since the Ukraine war, Europe has faced rising energy costs and declining competitiveness. At the same time, China’s industrial overcapacity, built on years of cheap credit, has pushed excess supply into global markets.

“The Middle East sits at a strategic intersection,” Nayar says. “Manufacturing is moving closer to consumption centres. Supply disruptions are becoming more common. Being close to the market matters more than ever.”

In that context, infrastructure ownership is less about risk-taking and more about risk mitigation. For Petrochem, owning strategic assets provides resilience in an increasingly fragmented global supply chain.

Recent years have reinforced that lesson. From the Suez Canal blockage to constraints at the Panama Canal, resilience increasingly depends on proximity, redundancy and physical control. Petrochem’s new terminal has been designed with that reality in mind.

One of the clearest signals of its strategic role is strategic storage. Kuwaiti petrochemical producer EQUATE has secured around 20,000 tonnes of capacity at the facility, using Jebel Ali as a buffer to serve Indian and regional markets.

“In the event of supply disruption, being two days away from customers makes a real difference,” Nayar says.

Asset-backed confidence in a volatile world

A defining feature of Petrochem’s strategy is its commitment to owning infrastructure rather than operating as a purely transactional trader.

“A trader moves paper from A to B,” Nayar explains. “A distributor invests for the long term.”

By building and owning terminals, while leasing land from DP World, Petrochem sends a clear signal to customers and suppliers that it is anchored in the region.

“When manufacturers see that level of investment, it builds confidence,” Nayar says. “It shows we’re here to stay.”

The terminal is evaluated over a five- to ten-year horizon, with returns driven by utilisation, operating leverage and long-term strategic optionality rather than short-term cycles.

That confidence matters. Petrochem supplies raw materials to almost every major paint and coatings manufacturer in the region. This is a scale that brings both opportunity and responsibility.

“We have significant market share,” Yogesh Mehta says. “That means we cannot afford to break trust.”

The company’s expansion also aligns closely with Dubai’s Economic Agenda D33, which aims to anchor high-value industrial activity and double the emirate’s economy over the next decade.

Looking ahead, Petrochem expects its core identity to remain intact: an emerging-market chemical distributor focused on high-growth regions. But the business is also exploring selective manufacturing partnerships, green and low-VOC chemicals, EV-related chemistries and new verticals such as personal care.

“Distribution will remain the foundation,” Nayar says. “But with more value added.”

For Yogesh Mehta, the quiet arrival of that $20m ship just days after inauguration remains the clearest proof point.

“It showed that everything we built here works,” he says. “And that we’re ready for what comes next.”

From left to right: Suresh Krishnan, Venu Nayar, Yogesh Mehta, Nazan Nobakht and Rohan Mehta

Read the full cover article in the March edition of Gulf Business below:

Yogesh Mehta petrochem Rohan Mehta

Free Fazaa cards for UAE families: How to apply for the discount membership

Initiative launched as part of the UAE’s Year of the Family 2026 will give resident households access to lifestyle discounts across travel, dining and entertainment

Gareth van Zyl

15 March, 2026

Free Fazaa cards for UAE families: How to apply for the discount membership

Article Summary

For the Year of the Family 2026, UAE resident families with children can access free Fazaa memberships. This initiative, in collaboration with the Ministry of Family, offers discounts on travel, dining, shopping, and entertainment. Families can register on the Fazaa website with Emirates ID copies. This aims to support families and boost community engagement.

UPDATE: After a period of downtime over the weekend, the Fazaa website has been back to normal this week. Read more by clicking here.

Resident families in the UAE will be able to access free Fazaa discount memberships as part of a new initiative launched during the Year of the Family 2026.

The programme, rolled out by Fazaa in collaboration with the Ministry of Family, will provide households across the country with access to a range of lifestyle benefits, including discounts on travel, dining, shopping and entertainment.

Authorities said the initiative aims to make it easier for families to spend time together while accessing everyday lifestyle offers across the UAE. The membership will remain valid throughout the Year of the Family 2026 and will expire at the end of the year.

The Fazaa Programme is a UAE government-backed benefits platform that offers exclusive deals across sectors including hospitality, retail, leisure and travel.

In a social media post announcing the initiative, organisers said the move was intended as a gesture of appreciation to families living in the country.

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A post shared by Fazaa4all فزعة (@fazaa4all)

“This initiative is a message of gratitude and appreciation to every family that has chosen the UAE as its home, and a confirmation that your stability and happiness are the foundation of our strong and united community,” the statement said.

How families can register

Families can apply for the free membership through the official Fazaa website, where applicants are required to submit personal details and upload Emirates ID copies for all family members.

Applicants must have at least one child to qualify for the programme.

Once registration is completed, users will receive an email confirmation and can activate their digital membership through the Fazaa mobile application. A contact centre is also available to assist residents with activation issues.

Wider community initiatives

The announcement follows other recent community-focused initiatives aimed at supporting residents and local businesses.

Earlier this week, Dubai-based lifestyle platform The ENTERTAINER said it would distribute 100,000 free memberships across the UAE as part of a community campaign designed to support the hospitality sector.

Donna Benton, founder and CEO of the ENTERTAINER, said the response from residents across the UAE and wider GCC exceeded expectations.

Speaking to Gulf Business, Benton said: “The campaign has been phenomenal and has gone above and beyond. Our aim was to encourage support for our world-class hospitality industry – and our wildest expectations have been surpassed. 250,000 One Heart memberships were claimed in four hours, with over 20,000 offers being redeemed at participating venues across the UAE in just one day.”

The rapid uptake prompted the company to progressively increase the number of memberships available, first doubling the original allocation before ultimately scaling the initiative fivefold to meet demand across the region.

The initial tranche of 50,000 memberships was claimed in less than an hour, highlighting the scale of consumer interest.

Discounts have been offered by other attractions in Dubai in recent days, including the likes of Atlantis Aquaventure and Miracle Garden.

UAE Fazaa

Air India Express cancels flights to three UAE airports on March 15

Air India Express has cancelled all flights to Abu Dhabi, Ras Al Khaimah and Sharjah for March 15 following instructions from UAE airport authorities, while other carriers say schedules to and from Dubai are also being affected.

Gareth van Zyl

15 March, 2026

Air India Express cancels flights to three UAE airports on March 15

Article Summary

Air India Express cancelled all Sunday flights to/from Abu Dhabi, Ras Al Khaimah, and Sharjah due to UAE airport instructions, offering rebooking or refunds. A Delhi-Dubai round trip may operate. IndiGo also reported Dubai flight disruptions, advising passengers to check schedules. These changes stem from the evolving security situation impacting Middle East airspace and airline operations.

Air India Express has cancelled all flights scheduled for Sunday to and from Abu Dhabi, Ras Al Khaimah and Sharjah after receiving instructions from UAE airport authorities, the airline confirmed.

In a media note issued on Sunday, the airline said it had been “compelled to curtail its ad-hoc operations” for the day.

“All Air India Express flights planned for the day to and from Abu Dhabi, Ras Al Khaimah and Sharjah stand cancelled,” the airline said.

The carrier added that it plans to operate one round-trip flight on the Delhi–Dubai route, subject to slot availability and prevailing operational conditions at the time.

Passengers booked on affected flights have been offered the option to rebook for a later date without additional charges or request a full refund.

“Guests booked on cancelled or temporarily suspended services may rebook to a future date at no additional charge or opt for a full refund,” an Air India Express spokesperson said.

“Air India Express regrets the inconvenience caused by these unavoidable constraints and remains committed to bringing guests home at the earliest opportunity.”

The disruption comes as airlines across the region adjust schedules amid the evolving security situation in the Middle East.

Low-cost carrier IndiGo also said that flight operations to and from Dubai have been affected, warning passengers of potential changes to schedules.

“Due to the evolving situation in the Middle East, flight operations have been further restricted in Dubai, leading to changes in flight schedules,” IndiGo said in a travel advisory on Sunday.

The airline urged passengers to check their flight status before heading to the airport.

The developments follow a series of aviation disruptions across the Gulf in recent days as regional tensions have affected airspace operations and airline scheduling.