NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 4 — Kenya Airways will operate special repatriation flights between Nairobi and Dubai this week, offering stranded passengers a limited window to travel after days of disruption triggered by regional military tensions and the temporary closure of United Arab Emirates airspace.
The airline confirmed it will operate a Nairobi–Dubai flight on Tuesday and a return Dubai–Nairobi service on Wednesday, following slot approvals granted by Dubai airport authorities.
Kenya Airways (KQ) emphasized that the flights are strictly for repatriation purposes and do not signal a full resumption of scheduled operations.
The limited services come after UAE authorities allowed a small number of flights to operate from Dubai International Airport beginning March 2, exclusively to facilitate the movement of citizens and residents affected by the airspace shutdown.
“These are not regular scheduled flights,” the airline said in a customer advisory.
“They are repatriation flights for customers who are citizens or have residency in the UAE to travel out of Nairobi and vice versa.”
Conditional departure
Passengers currently in Dubai have been urged not to proceed to the airport until they receive confirmed departure details.
Kenya Airways also advised affected travelers to check their flight status on its website and update their contact information through the “Manage Booking” portal to ensure direct communication.
The repatriation announcement follows the airline’s February 28 decision to suspend flights to Dubai and Sharjah after the UAE closed its airspace amid escalating military operations involving the United States and Israel against Iran.
Kenya Airways said the suspension was prompted by safety concerns following threats of retaliatory strikes targeting U.S. bases in the region.
Flights KQ310 and KQ305, alongside scheduled cargo services, were canceled as a precautionary measure.
The disruption followed an announcement by U.S. President Donald Trump confirming the start of military strikes on Iran after the collapse of nuclear negotiations in Geneva.
On February 28, the United States and Israel launched what they described as a joint military offensive, triggering heightened security alerts across parts of the Gulf.
The developments led to temporary airspace closures in several areas, disrupting commercial aviation routes and stranding travelers across the region.
The situation has since escalated, with Iran launching targeted retaliatory strikes against Israel and countries hosting U.S. troops in the region, including Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
