Limited flight operations resumed on Monday evening from Dubai, with Emirates, Flydubai and Etihad Airways initiating a restricted number of services to clear stranded passengers after days of widespread disruption triggered by volatile airspace conditions in West Asia following the conflict between Iran and Israel-US.IndiGo has planned 10 special relief flights from Jeddah to India on March 3 to facilitate the return of stranded passengers, subject to required approvals and prevailing airspace conditions.The phased resumption, announced by Dubai Airports, applied to select departures from Dubai International Airport and Al Maktoum International Airport, with the airlines prioritising passengers holding earlier bookings and operating under tight safety constraints. The airlines stressed that operations remained limited and passengers must not head to the airport without confirmed communication. An Emirates spokesperson said only those rebooked on these flights would be contacted directly, adding that all other services remained suspended until further notice.Dubai Airports confirmed that only a small number of flights had been cleared for departure, advising travellers to wait for confirmation from their respective airlines. The move marks a cautious reopening of one of the world’s busiest transit hubs, even as regional airspace remains unstable.At the same time, Etihad Airways has deployed 15 special flights from Abu Dhabi to address mounting passenger backlog, including four services to India covering Delhi, Mumbai, Kochi and Bengaluru. These flights are being operated exclusively for passengers affected by recent cancellations and who had the airline ticket earlier.The broader aviation network, however, continues to remain under severe strain. Air India Express said it would resume services between Muscat and several Indian cities from March 3, with its first flight scheduled to Tiruchirappalli at 10.25 local time. Operations to Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE will remain suspended until late on March 3.Stranded Indian aircraft, including those of IndiGo, have begun returning after being held at Gulf airports for the past two days, indicating gradual recovery. However, cancellations continue to mount across Indian cities.“Indian carriers have undertaken calibrated adjustments to their schedules, with long-haul and ultra-long-haul operations being progressively resumed through alternative routings that avoid restricted airspace. Aircraft and crew repositioning measures are underway to restore operational stability at the earliest, said officials of the Ministry of Civil Aviation.They said special arrangements were being made to facilitate the movement of stranded passengers. “Airlines are deploying additional capacity where required and coordinating closely with the foreign aviation authorities and Indian missions abroad to ensure safe and orderly passenger movement,” said the officials.Due to the ongoing situation, 357 flights planned for operation on Monday were cancelled across the country by the airlines, said the officials.Delhi recorded 50 departure and 37 arrival cancellations, while Mumbai reported 116 disruptions, including both arrivals and departures. Kolkata saw at least 20 international cancellations involving major Gulf carriers. Chennai reported 28 cancellations and three Gulf-bound flights were grounded in Goa.Meanwhile, Iraq has extended the closure of its airspace to all flights until noon on Wednesday, further complicating already strained flight networks.Globally, the conflict has triggered widespread travel paralysis. Around 30,000 German tourists remain stranded across the Gulf region, with Berlin ruling out military evacuation due to closed airspace. Several countries, including the Czech Republic, have initiated alternative evacuation plans, while the authorities have urged citizens to remain in hotels and avoid attempting independent travel.Flight disruptions have extended beyond West Asia, with cancellations reported as far as Bali and Europe. Airlines, including Air France and KLM, have suspended key routes, while US carriers saw sharp market losses as the crisis rattled investor confidence.