Is Dubai Airport closed? Are flights operating after Iranian drone hit fuel tank sparking large fire

The international airport temporarily suspended flights today while firefighters tried to put out the blaze, which sent thick black smoke into the sky.

At the airport, people waiting for flights were sent to a lower floor for safety after the attack. 

The Dubai media office reported that “a drone incident in the vicinity of Dubai International Airport (DXB) affected one of the fuel tanks” and said civil defence teams had been dispatched “to bring the fire under control”. There were no reports of injuries.

Emirates, one of two UAE national airlines and the world’s largest long-haul carrier, said it expected to operate a “limited schedule” after 10am Dubai time on Monday (6am GMT), and that some flights had been cancelled. 

Flights are gradually resuming at Dubai airport, but many are delayed, cancelled, or diverted.

Passengers are advised to check their airline’s flight status directly, expect delays or rerouting and only go to the airport if their flight is confirmed.

As of Monday morning, there are 94 flight cancellations from Dubai Airport.

On Sunday (15 March) Emirates issued an update on its rebooking policy for passengers with flights booked in the coming weeks. 

In a post shared on X on Sunday, Emirates support said: “You can now amend bookings and rebook flights online within 72 hours of your original departure date by visiting the emirat.es/managebooking or 'Manage Your Booking' on the Emirates app.

“If you wish to rebook a flight earlier than 72 hours before departure, please reach out to us for assistance via emirat.es/support or via DM at emirat.es/xdm.”

Iran has been targeting the UAE with drones and missiles for 17 days in retaliation for US and Israeli attacks. The Emirati ministry of defence said it had been targeted by more than 1,900 since the start of the conflict.

However it added that there had been a sharp decline in recent days.