Kenya Airways has announced that it will operate special repatriation flights between Nairobi and Dubai.
In a statement on Wednesday, March 4, the airline said the flights will operate on March 4 and March 5 following approvals from Dubai airport authorities.
"We wish to inform our customers that we will operate repatriation flights Nairobi-Dubai on 04 March 2026, and Dubai-Nairobi on 05 March 2026, following slots approval by Dubai Airport Management," the statement read.
Kenya Airways explained that the move comes after authorities in the United Arab Emirates allowed limited flight operations at Dubai’s main airport strictly for repatriation.
"This follows the guidance by the UAE authorities on the resumption of limited operations at Dubai Airport on 02 March 2026, with a small number of flights permitted to operate from Dubai International Airport (DXB) strictly for repatriation purposes," the statement added.
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Kenya Airways clarified that the flights are not part of its regular schedule but are specifically meant to assist eligible travelers.
It urged passengers in Dubai to wait for official communication before heading to the airport.
"These are not regular scheduled flights, rather repatriation flights for Customers who are citizens or have residency in the UAE to be able to travel out of Nairobi and Vice Versa.
"We request our customers in Dubai not to proceed to DXB Airport until we have communicated a confirmed departure date and time," the statement continued.
In addition, customers were advised to monitor their booking details online to receive timely updates from the airline.
"Customers are also advised to check their flight status on Kenya-airways.com and update their contact details through the Manage Booking option on our website, so we can reach them directly for further updates," the statement further read.
This comes days after Kenya Airways announced the suspension of scheduled flights to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) until further notice.
In an official statement on Saturday, February 28, the national carrier cited the closure of the region's airspace.
"We wish to inform our customers that we have temporarily suspended flights to Dubai and Sharjah until further notice due to the UAE airspace closure," it said.
KQ noted that two passenger flights were affected by the move.
It apologised to the passengers caught up in the disruption, promising timely feedback as the situation in the UAE unfolds, adding that the decision was for the safety of the passengers and crew.
"As a result, and for the safety of our customers and crew, we have cancelled KQ310, KQ305 and freighter flights. We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience caused and appreciate your patience and understanding.
"We will communicate and engage directly with affected customers and provide them with the necessary assistance. As this is a developing situation, we will provide updates as soon as new information becomes available," it said.
