After facing the jet fuel price shock last week, Indian airlines may again face a setback in the form of potential revenue loss as Dubai has imposed restrictions on foreign carriers, limiting them to just one daily flight until May 31 amid the ongoing Iran crisis.
The move may further increase financial pressures for Indian airlines, which are already operating on reduced margins due to heightened jet fuel prices and longer flight routes due to restrictions on using Pakistani airspace, according to a report by Reuters.
The latest curbs are expected to hit Indian carriers the hardest, as they had scheduled more flights to Dubai than airlines from any other country.
According to industry data, Indian airlines had aggressively planned capacity for the peak travel season, making the sudden cap a major setback.
Airlines like Air India and Air India Express had planned over 750 flights during the affected period, while IndiGo had scheduled close to 500 services.
The Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA), which represents domestic operators like IndiGo, Air India, and SpiceJet, has requested the Indian government to intervene and seek a rollback of the restrictions.
The industry body has also called for reciprocal measures against Dubai-based airlines like Emirates and flydubai if the curbs remain in place, flagging concerns over an uneven competitive landscape.
The restrictions stem from operational disruptions linked to the West Asia conflict. Dubai Airports, in a communication to airlines, said foreign carriers would be limited to one round trip per day to both Dubai International Airport and Al Maktoum International Airport during the summer schedule from April 20 to May 31.
This effectively reduces monthly operations for foreign airlines to about 30–31 flights, a sharp drop compared to the significantly higher frequency earlier. In contrast, Dubai-based carriers continue to operate multiple daily flights, intensifying concerns of a skewed playing field.
The restrictions are also expected to limit travel options for passengers, even as demand for India-UAE routes remains strong.
