Passengers are facing a lot of trouble due to the closure of air routes in the Gulf region. Oman has emerged as a great support in these difficult times. As of 8 March 2026, Muscat International Airport (MCT) has now become the main emergency transit hub in the region. While flights to Dubai and Abu Dhabi have been severely limited, flights from Muscat are operating 24 hours without any interruption. This is a big relief for those passengers who were worried about their journey for the last few days.
Facility of extra flights from Muscat Airport
Aircraft movement has increased significantly at Muscat Airport. According to data from Flightradar24, there has been a huge jump in the number of flights here till Saturday evening. Oman Air and Salam Air have started extra flights to London, Mumbai, Bangkok and other big cities from March 7 to March 16.
Many European countries have also run special charter flights from Muscat to evacuate their citizens. Oman airports have confirmed that they are fully prepared to handle the extra traffic. This is also a relief news for those Indian passengers who are stranded in UAE or nearby countries and want to return to India as Mumbai is also included in the extra flights.
Important rules for those traveling by road
A large number of travelers from Dubai and Abu Dhabi are now coming to Oman by road to catch their flights from here. For this reason, huge crowd is being seen at UAE-Oman border (Al Wajaza and Kharam Al Shikla). Officials have given special advice to travelers:
Passengers arriving by road should reach Muscat Airport at least 12 hours before their flight to avoid delay in checking in. Due to security reasons, there is a complete ban on flying drones in Oman. Fares have increased by 20 to 50 percent because the route has become longer.
How long will flights remain closed?
Due to change in air routes, flight time to Europe and other places has increased by 4 to 6 hours. Travelers planning to travel should take note of these dates:
Flights to Kuwait, Sharjah, Doha and Dammam will remain closed till March 20. Flights to Iraq, Lebanon and Iran are suspended till March 28. The European agency EASA has issued a safety warning until March 11.
For travelers who are in UAE or Qatar and whose flights have been cancelled, Muscat is currently the safest and most reliable route. Bus service from Sharjah to Muscat can also be availed.
