Hanoi-Dubai Flights Resume as Passengers Remain Stranded

Photo courtesy of VN Express

Emirates will resume flights between Hanoi and Dubai on March 5. This marks the first Middle Eastern airline to restart services at Noi Bai International Airport after a five-day hiatus. The suspension was caused by U.S.-Israeli military strikes on Iran, which resulted in widespread airspace closures.

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A flight from Dubai carrying 427 passengers is scheduled to arrive, with a return flight with around 200 passengers departing in the evening. On March 4, Emirates conducted a repatriation flight to bring UAE citizens and residents back home from Hanoi. Despite this resumption, Emirates's overall global operations remain limited until at least March 7 with only a few repatriation and cargo flights.

Other Middle Eastern airlines, including Qatar Airways and Etihad Airways, have not yet resumed services in Vietnam. On March 5, Etihad canceled two pairs of commercial flights to and from Hanoi affecting 960 passengers. Meanwhile, Qatar Airways canceled 10 flights between March 4 and 6, impacting 2,052 passengers at Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

Since the turmoil began on February 28, Middle Eastern carriers have canceled 22 flights from Noi Bai, affecting about 4,600 passengers. Some aircraft, including one from Emirates and two from Qatar Airways, are parked at the airport, unable to return to their home bases due to the closures.

All three airlines have announced passenger support measures. Qatar Airways is providing free date changes within 14 days or refunds for tickets affected by the disruptions. Etihad is allowing free rebooking or refunds for eligible tickets, while Emirates offers rebooking or refunds for flights impacted during this period, reported VN Express.

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  Adapted by ASEAN Now · VN Express · 05 Mar 2026