Emirates resumes Male'-Colombo flights after four month suspension caused by Middle East airspace closures

Emirates has resumed flights between the Maldives and Colombo, Sri Lanka, after a four‑month hiatus caused by the Middle East conflict.

The flights have restarted following major disruptions to Emirates’ network. The conflict that began on February 28 led to airspace closures in Iran, Iraq, Israel and Jordan, forcing airlines to reroute or cancel thousands of flights. Emirates alone canceled about 54 percent of its scheduled services, more than 2,000 flights, from late February to mid‑March.

Due to UAE airspace closures early in the unrest, Emirates suspended flights to several regional destinations. There were also incidents in which aircraft had to make sudden mid‑air turnarounds due to drone and missile threats. In total, more than 30,000 flights to and from Middle Eastern airports were cancelled.

Since then, Emirates has been gradually restoring its schedule. As of mid‑March, the airline was operating flights to more than 110 destinations.

Emirates is not the only carrier affected by the situation. Qatar Airways and Etihad Airways also faced significant reductions, with 93 percent of Qatar Airways flights and 79 percent of Etihad flights cancelled during the peak disruption.