Indian airlines such as IndiGo, Air India and SpiceJet are likely to face revenue losses due to fresh flight curbs imposed by Dubai. The UAE's top luxurious city has limited foreign carriers to one daily flight until May 31 amid the ongoing US-Iran crisis.
The move hits Indian airlines hard as the Gulf region accounts for a major share of their traffic. India was Dubai's largest passenger source last year. In view of the situation, the Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA), representing IndiGo, Air India and SpiceJet, has urged the Indian government to press Dubai to lift the curbs. In a letter seen by Reuters, the airlines have suggested the government for reciprocal action against Dubai carriers.
The move comes while Indian airlines are already struggling due to rising fuel costs and opting for longer routes to Western destinations after being banned from Pakistani airspace last year.
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In a March 27 email seen by Reuters, Dubai Airports have said that airlines would be limited to one daily round trip to Dubai International (DXB) and Al Maktoum (DWC) between April 20 and May 31. The marks an extension of the restrictions that were in place after the US-Iran war began on Feb. 28.
"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," it was quoted as saying by Reuters.
In their letter, the Indian airlines have argued that the curbs unfairly exclude Dubai carriers like Emirates and flydubai, from the restrictions. The latest measures come amid long-standing complaints by Gulf airlines about India's bilateral air service agreements that cap the number of seats that can be deployed between countries. In response, Indian authorities have maintained that the rules protect domestic airlines.
In 2025, 1.9 million Indian travellers passed through DXB, making it the largest source of passengers for the world's one of the most busiest airports. According to Reuters, Dubai's flight caps will impact Indian airlines the most. Air India and Air India Express have over 750 scheduled flights to DXB for April to May. This is followed by IndiGo with 481 flights during this period. SpiceJet had scheduled 61 flights.
The one-flight-per-day cap would mean 30 or 31 per month for each foreign airline. Commenting on the development, IndiGo told Reuters that the Middle East crisis and extended Dubai restrictions have significantly “constrained” its operations as the airline had an approved summer schedule of 15 daily flights from India to Dubai.
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