Six Airlines Companies Suspend Flights to Middle East – UCAA Reveals 

By Sadique Bamwita 

Entebbe 

The manager Public Affairs at Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA), Vianney Lugya Mpungu has revealed that so far six Airlines operating at Entebbe international Airport have suspended their flights to the Middle East following the closure of airspace in the Middle East. 

He emphasized that only flights between Entebbe international Airport to the Middle East are suspended but other flights to Europe, America and Africa are still operational. The affected airline companies who have suspended their operations at Entebbe International Airport include Emirates, Fly Dubai, Qatar airways, Uganda Airlines and Air Arabia among others.

Addressing the media on March 1,2026, Vianney Lugya, noted that the cancelled flights have affected air travellers heading to the middle East. However, he appealed to air travellers who had scheduled flights to keep in close contact with their respective airline companies.

” On Saturday at 10am, Fly Dubai left Entebbe International Airport enroute to Dubai but along the way the pilot received notifications that the airspace had been closed and decided to return to Entebbe international Airport at 11am, “Lugya revealed.

Lugya challenged air travellers intending to move outside the Middle East that their flights are still operational and normal, adding that the airspace in those countries is uninterrupted.

In related news, on Saturday February 28,2026, Uganda Airlines announced a temporary suspension of its flights to Dubai.

In a statement issued on Saturday, the airline noted that the suspension follows the closure of   Airspace in the Middle East including Dubai.

“Uganda Airlines wishes to inform its esteemed guests and the general public of the temporary suspension of its scheduled flights between Entebbe International Airport and Dubai International Airport (DXB)” reads the notice.

The airline noted that it will ensure affected passengers holding confirmed bookings on the suspended flights will be re-accommodated on alternative carriers where possible or rebooked on future Uganda Airlines flights at no additional costs once operations resume.

The airline listed other remedies for the passengers, promising to provide further updates on flights scheduled for the routes once the airspace is opened up.

On Saturday, Dubai International Airport -the world’s largest airport for international travel, and Dubai World Central – Al Maktoum International were shut down.

According to a statement from Dubai Airports in the United Arab Emirates, all flight operations at the airports were suspended until further notice, the agency said.

The suspension followed the joint U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran, which led to a stoppage of air travel throughout significant portions of the Middle East.