Dubai has restricted foreign airlines to just one daily flight to its airports until May 31 amid escalating tensions linked to the Iran conflict, a move that is expected to hit Indian carriers the hardest.
The curbs, communicated through official letters, have raised concerns of significant revenue losses for Indian airlines such as IndiGo, Air India and SpiceJet, which operate some of the highest traffic on India–Dubai routes.
Industry body Federation of Indian Airlines has urged the government to intervene and press Dubai authorities to ease restrictions. It has also suggested reciprocal action against UAE carriers like Emirates and flydubai if the curbs remain.
“Carriers continue to be limited to one rotation per day, until capacity allows more to be facilitated … Additional slots will be allocated if capacity is available,” the letter said, reported Reuters.
India Faces The Brunt
It is pertinent to note that the restrictions come at a time when Indian carriers are already grappling with higher fuel costs and longer routes due to airspace constraints, further increasing operational pressure.
India remains the largest source market for Dubai’s air traffic, making the impact of these restrictions particularly severe for Indian carriers.
