Kenya Airways, the national carrier, has announced plans to operate special repatriation flights between Nairobi and Dubai this week amid escalating tensions in the Middle East.

The move comes after the United States and Israel launched attacks against Iran, with the latter initiating retaliatory missile and drone attacks against neighbours hosting US army bases.

In a statement dated Wednesday, KQ committed to carrying out the operation on the back of limited approvals for flights at the Dubai International Airport.

The first flight will depart Nairobi for Dubai today, March 4, while the return flight will happen the day after, on March 5, subject to approvals from the government of UAE, which is currently allowing a small number of flights strictly for repatriation purposes.

“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,” said Kenya Airways.

“We request our customers in Dubai not to proceed to DXB Airport until we have communicated a confirmed departure date and time.” 

Consequently, passengers in Dubai will stay in shelter until confirmation of the date and time of departure is made. 

KQ temporarily suspended all planned flights to Dubai and Sharjah last week, following the closure of the UAE airspace on safety grounds.

Passenger flights KQ310, KQ311, KQ 304, and KQ305, and all freighter flights were all affected.

“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,” KQ said. 

The US and Israel launched joint attacks targeting Iranian cities, including the capital Tehran, on Saturday, February 28. 

US President Donald Trump justified the attacks, citing Iran’s stance on nuclear negotiations and missile programs.

Iran, on its part, carried out retaliatory attacks on Israel and several Gulf nations that are home to US military assets and sites, including the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait.