UAE Flight Disruptions: How to Get Refunds, Rebook Tickets and File Complaints with Airlines and Travel Agents

The Dubai Civil Aviation Authority has introduced a new Aviation Consumer Welfare Directive to provide passengers with a clearer way to lodge complaints against airlines and licensed travel agents.

The move comes as many passengers struggle with delayed responses during the current wave of disruptions affecting regional air travel.

The authority said the directive creates a formal process for handling disputes related to delays, cancellations and service issues.

According to the regulator, airlines and licensed travel agents operating in Dubai must also cooperate in resolving complaints and comply with defined service standards.

One of the biggest complaints from travellers is delayed refunds when tickets are booked through third-party travel agencies rather than directly with airlines.

Most UAE carriers say that if a booking was made via an agent, the refund must usually be processed by that agency. This means airlines may approve the refund, but the travel agent controls the payment timeline — which can vary significantly.

Many passengers are also reporting difficulty reaching agents during the current disruption, according to social media posts.

Another major issue is confusion over fare rules. Not all tickets qualify for full cash refunds, particularly low-cost or “Basic” fares. In some cases, travellers are only offered airline credit instead of a money-back guarantee.

Airlines are advising passengers to carefully check fare conditions, cancellation deadlines, refund eligibility, and whether only taxes are eligible for reimbursement.

Airlines are also warning travellers about unusually high demand for customer service due to regional flight disruptions. Long wait times are becoming common, with several carriers encouraging passengers to use online booking management tools, monitor flight status pages and rebook digitally instead of calling customer centres.

Emirates says passengers booked on flights departing up to and including May 31 can rebook to the same destination — or another destination in the same region — for travel up to June 15 without change fees.

However, Emirates says passengers who booked through travel agents must contact the agent directly for refund processing and rebooking support.

The airline also notes that extras such as paid seats or upgrades are not refunded automatically and require separate refund requests.

Refunds booked directly with Emirates are expected to take around 15 business days, although banks may affect timelines.

The airline says fare conditions still apply to many voluntary booking changes.

Etihad Airways allows passengers to request refunds up to two hours before departure, provided check-in has not already been completed.

The airline says travellers who booked through agencies must contact those agencies directly for refunds.

Etihad also says passengers who have not received refunds after 45 days should first check with their bank or credit card provider before escalating the issue.

Air Arabia says refund rules depend heavily on fare type.

According to the airline:

The airline says cancellation fees may apply depending on the fare and route.

Passengers whose flights are cancelled by the airline are generally entitled to:

Air Arabia also warns that missed flights usually result in forfeited tickets.

Experts and regulators are urging passengers to:

Travellers are also advised to check whether they booked directly with the airline or through a third party, as this often determines who handles refunds and itinerary changes first.