West Asia conflict: Dubai airport closure forces Emirates flight back to Kochi

An Emirates flight to Dubai with 325 passengers returned to Kochi in Kerala four hours after takeoff on Monday morning, March 16, 2026, following the sudden closure of Dubai airport.

Flight EK 533 took off at 4.30 in the morning and landed back at 8.30 in the morning. Airport sources said the closure was due to a “security incident”.

Passengers were initially advised to remain on board while the situation in Dubai was reviewed. The idea was to operate the service in case the airport reopened. The passengers were eventually asked to disembark, officials added.

Flights to most West Asian destinations except Muscat had been canceled following the bombing of Iran by Israel and the US and Iran’s retaliation since February 28. Services have since been gradually restarted, but services have not yet returned to pre-February 28 levels.

Sources noted that the closure of airports has become common following security incidents. At least once before, a flight bound for Dubai had to turn back in a similar manner.