Algeria to Close Airspace to UAE Aircraft After Diplomatic Rupture

Algeria will close its airspace to all civilian and military aircraft registered in the United Arab Emirates beginning September 11, 2026, after severing diplomatic relations with Abu Dhabi. The ban will not apply to commercial passenger flights between the UAE and Algiers’ Houari Boumediene International Airport, which are exempt until the end of 2026 under an existing agreement. Algiers cited a pattern of increasingly provocative and hostile UAE actions but did not specify the immediate trigger, while giving the Emirati ambassador 48 hours to comply with the diplomatic rupture. The UAE expressed hope that the decision would be temporary and reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining ties and cooperation with Algeria.