Several Etihad Airways flights have been spotted departing from Zayed International Airport (AUD) in Abu Dhabi, UAE, despite earlier announcements that flights were grounded amid Iranian military strikes.
On March 2, 2026, data from Flightradar24 showed that an Etihad Airbus A380 to London-Heathrow Airport (LHR) was the first to leave Abu Dhabi at around 14:40, local time, followed by other flights to Riyadh, Amsterdam and Islamabad at various times.
In total AeroTime counted around 15 flights having departed Zayed International Airport with more scheduled for today.
Earlier, Etihad had issued a statement on its social media platforms indicating that flights were suspended from Abu Dhabi until March 3, 2026.
“Regional Airspace Disruption – Operational Update Regional airspace closures continue to impact Etihad’s operations, and all flights to and from Abu Dhabi are suspended until 14:00 UAE time on Tuesday 3 March,” wrote Etihad.
Regional Airspace Disruption – Operational Update
— Etihad Airways (@etihad) March 2, 2026
Regional airspace closures continue to impact Etihad's operations, and all flights to and from Abu Dhabi are suspended until 14:00 UAE time on Tuesday 3 March.
Guests due to travel are advised to:
-Check their flight status at…
A similar message also appears on the Etihad website, with further advice on how customers can rebook or amend their bookings.
The General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) had previously issued a temporary closure of UAE airspace considering the military conflict in the region.
A Lufthansa A380 was also seen departing Abu Dhabi for Munich, but in a statement the airline said that there were only two pilots on board for the “technical transfer flight”.
On February 28, 2026, the US and Israel launched an attack against Iran after talks over the country’s nuclear program failed to reach an amicable resolution.
In response Iran began firing missiles and drones at countries allied to the US in the Middle East and Gulf regions.
Along with the UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Israe and Oman have also been struck by Iran.