The airlines operating outside the UAE and Qatar cancelled multiple flights to Iran on Friday amid unrest in the country. According to the Dubai Airports website, Reuters reported that at least 17 flydubai flights scheduled to operate between Dubai and Iranian cities, such as Tehran, Shiraz, and Mashhad, were cancelled.
A spokesperson of Flydubai confirmed that all flights to Iran on Friday were cancelled, adding that the airline would “continue to monitor the situation” and revise its schedule accordingly. However, the Iranian airlines’ flights, such as Iran Air, Mahan Air, and Qeshm Air, were proceeding normally.
Disruptions extended beyond the UAE. The Hamad International Airport website stated that at least two flights were to take place between Doha and Tehran on Friday. The airport showed services returning to schedule on Saturday.
Therefore, the Turkish media had also announced mass cancellations. Turkish Airlines is said to have cancelled 17 flights to Iran, and AJet cancelled six flights. Budget carrier Pegasus Airlines also cancelled flights to Iranian cities on Friday.
The flight suspensions coincide with Iran experiencing continuing nationwide protests, which started in late December, fueled by deteriorating economic conditions.
Eventually, the value of the rial in the country has drastically decreased, and the cost of living has tremendously increased.
A nationwide digital blackout has also befallen Iran, as officials restricted access to the mobile internet in an attempt to dampen the protest movement.
The blackout initially started on Thursday and continued into Friday, contributing to the travel and operational uncertainty in the region.
