Weather shocks and airport works disrupt Gulf flight schedules

Severe weather across large parts of the United States and planned airport infrastructure works in Europe have forced major Gulf carriers to cancel and suspend flights, highlighting how environmental shocks and logistical constraints can ripple through tightly connected aviation networks.

Emirates, Etihad Airways, flydubai and Qatar Airways have issued a series of travel advisories as winter storms in North America disrupted air traffic control operations and ground handling, while runway and terminal works at key European hubs constrained capacity. The overlapping pressures have led to rolling cancellations, aircraft reassignments and schedule changes, with airlines urging passengers to check flight status before travelling.

In the United States, a succession of winter systems brought heavy snowfall, freezing rain and strong winds across the Midwest, Northeast and parts of the South. Major hubs including Chicago O’Hare, New York’s JFK and Newark, and Atlanta experienced periods of reduced operations as de-icing demand surged and runway availability tightened. The Federal Aviation Administration imposed traffic management programmes to ease congestion, leading to knock-on delays for long-haul services linking North America with the Gulf.

Gulf carriers operate dense networks to the US, relying on precise aircraft rotations to sustain high utilisation rates. Disruptions at one end of the network can cascade quickly, particularly for ultra-long-haul services that require strict crew duty limits. Emirates confirmed that some services to and from North American destinations were cancelled or rescheduled due to weather-related constraints and air traffic flow restrictions. The airline said it was rebooking affected passengers and providing assistance in line with its policies.

Etihad Airways also warned of potential delays and cancellations on transatlantic routes, citing conditions at destination airports and airspace restrictions. The Abu Dhabi-based carrier has expanded its North American footprint over the past year, making operational resilience a priority as extreme weather events become more frequent.

At the same time, Europe has been dealing with planned infrastructure works aimed at upgrading ageing airport assets. London Heathrow has ongoing runway maintenance and airfield works scheduled during off-peak periods, while Amsterdam Schiphol continues to manage capacity limits linked to runway maintenance and environmental constraints. Frankfurt Airport has also been implementing phased upgrades to taxiways and terminals, reducing flexibility during periods of disruption.

These works, while planned and publicly communicated, reduce spare capacity that airlines often rely on to absorb shocks elsewhere in the system. When weather disruption in North America delayed inbound aircraft, European hubs had limited scope to accommodate late arrivals or additional movements, prompting carriers to pre-emptively cancel flights to stabilise schedules.

Qatar Airways said it was monitoring conditions closely and had adjusted operations on select routes to Europe and North America. The airline has invested heavily in network planning and digital operations tools, yet acknowledged that concurrent disruptions across regions can strain even well-resourced carriers. flydubai, which operates a mix of short- and medium-haul services feeding into long-haul networks, reported delays and cancellations on certain sectors linked to airspace congestion and downstream effects from partner airlines.

Industry analysts note that the episode underscores a broader structural challenge. Global aviation has rebounded strongly in passenger volumes, but infrastructure investment has struggled to keep pace, particularly in mature markets. Airports face pressure to modernise while meeting environmental targets and community constraints, leading to works that can temporarily reduce capacity. At the same time, climate volatility is increasing the frequency of disruptive weather, from winter storms to heatwaves that affect aircraft performance.

For Gulf hubs such as Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha, the hub-and-spoke model magnifies exposure to external shocks. Aircraft delayed on one continent can disrupt connections across multiple regions within hours. Airlines have responded by building more buffer into schedules and diversifying routings, but competitive pressures limit how much slack can be introduced without eroding efficiency.

Passenger advocates say clearer communication has helped mitigate frustration, with airlines using apps and direct messaging to provide updates. However, compensation and assistance rules vary by jurisdiction, adding complexity for travellers caught between different regulatory regimes when disruptions originate outside Europe but affect European airports.