A week after US and Israeli attacks on Iran, airspace across several Middle Eastern countries has been severely affected, leading to major disruptions in flight operations. Despite the crisis, the United Arab Emirates has been operating hundreds of special flights to help stranded passengers reach their destinations.
According to international media reports, these special flights are the result of back channel diplomacy between the UAE and Iran. The report states that these flights are not regular scheduled operations but special arrangements designed to manage the crisis.
Reports indicate that although UAE airspace and general flight operations remain restricted, specific routes have been arranged for these special flights. The safe corridors have reportedly been established through Qatar and Yemen to allow passengers to travel safely.
According to the report, the UAE assured Iran that its territory and airspace would not be used by any third party for operations against Iran. In return, Iran allowed flights from Dubai and Abu Dhabi to operate through designated safe air corridors.
Sources say Iran has also agreed not to target commercial aircraft flying along these specific routes. Initially, the arrangement has been made for around 48 hours, but it may be extended if the situation continues.
Thousands of passengers currently in Dubai and Abu Dhabi are waiting to travel home through these special flights, while in contrast no flights have operated from Kuwait, Bahrain, or Qatar over the past week. Thousands of travelers from those countries are instead trying to reach their destinations through expensive land routes via Saudi Arabia.
