Emirates suspends all flights after Dubai Airport drone attack

Emirates has cancelled all flights to and from Dubai, including its daily service from Glasgow Airport , amid ongoing regional instability following conflict in the Middle East.

The latest cancellations come as flights continue to be affected by US military strikes targeting Iran more than two weeks ago.

An Emirates international flight from Dubai lands (Image: Sammy Kogan)

An Emirates spokesperson wrote on X : "All flights to and from Dubai have been temporarily suspended.

"Please do not go to the airport.

"Emirates will share updates when available.

"We would like to thank our customers for their understanding and patience.

"The safety of our passengers and crew is our highest priority and will not be compromised."

All flights to and from Dubai have been temporarily suspended.

Please do not go to the airport.

Emirates will share updates when available. We would like to thank our customers for their understanding and patience.

The safety of our passengers and crew is our highest priority… pic.twitter.com/m5eIloT2wk

— Emirates Support (@EmiratesSupport) March 16, 2026

The Glasgow to Dubai service, which typically departs at 1.35pm with a return flight arriving in Scotland at 11.35am, has not operated since flights were grounded at the start of the conflict.

Emirates has advised passengers to check their flight status before heading to the airport and to rebook through its website or app if their travel plans are affected.

The airline expects to resume a limited flight schedule after 10am Dubai time today.

It said: "Unfortunately, some flights from today’s schedule have been cancelled.

"Affected customers will receive a cancellation notice and will be advised on reaccommodation options.

"Please check flight status on emirates.com, to ensure your flight is operating before heading to the airport."

Emirates has apologised for the disruption and pledged to continue providing updates as the situation develops.

Dubai has recently been targeted in drone and missile attacks linked to the Iran conflict, with several incidents affecting civilian infrastructure and aviation operations.

On March 16, a drone strike ignited a fuel tank fire near Dubai International Airport, causing brief flight delays and diversions.

Civil Defence teams quickly contained the blaze and no injuries were reported.

Earlier attacks in the region injured at least four people and prompted temporary disruption to aviation and shipping as airlines and shippers reassessed the security of Gulf routes.

The UAE government has strongly condemned what it calls "blatant Iranian attacks" and warned that Iran’s actions threaten regional stability.

Officials in the UAE have displayed recovered missile and drone debris at press briefings and have underlined the nation’s commitment to protecting critical infrastructure.

Despite its position, the UAE has stressed it does not want the conflict to escalate further and is calling for a return to diplomatic negotiations.

We reported when the conflict first began that all services heading to the holiday hotspot were cancelled.

Emirates has suspended services between Glasgow and Dubai today as airspace closures across the Middle East continue to impact travel, following joint US and Israeli military action in Iran.