The review places new scrutiny on the Beirut-based airline, which has continued operating throughout Lebanon’s economic crisis and ongoing regional conflict while many foreign carriers reduced or suspended flights across parts of the Middle East.

The audit follows complaints from the International Federation of Air Line Pilots’ Associations (IFALPA), which warned that civilian aircraft were being flown in proximity to military activity, including Israeli airstrikes near Beirut’s airport. IFALPA President Ron Hay described such operations as posing unacceptable risks to passengers and crews.

Lebanon’s Civil Aviation Authority said it initiated a safety review and entered discussions with MEA regarding the concerns. The regulator said the audit process remains ongoing, although preliminary oversight inspections conducted between May 18 and June 1 found the airline compliant with regulatory and operational safety requirements.

MEA rejected the allegations, citing its strong safety record and stating that all flights during hostilities were conducted under risk assessments developed with Lebanese authorities and aviation regulators. The airline also denied claims that pilot training assignments were used as disciplinary measures against those reporting safety issues.

The dispute has drawn attention from international aviation groups and airline partners. Pilot associations informed members of the SkyTeam alliance, which includes carriers such as Air France and Delta Air Lines, about the concerns. Both airlines said safety oversight of partner carriers remains a priority.

Additional questions were raised over financial support provided by MEA to aviation sector employees during Lebanon’s financial collapse.

Pilot groups argued the payments could create perceptions of conflicts of interest in regulatory oversight, while the airline said the support was coordinated with government authorities to maintain critical aviation infrastructure and did not affect the regulator’s independence.

The airline’s notice did not specify the duration of the restriction or provide detailed justification, but the move comes against the backdrop of escalating geopolitical frictions in the region.

Separately, the website of budget carrier Flydubai indicated that Iranian nationals holding a valid UAE “Golden Visa” are exempt from the restriction and remain eligible to enter and transit the country.

The exemption suggests that long-term residency status continues to be recognized despite broader entry limitations.Neither Emirates nor Flydubai immediately issued additional statements clarifying operational details, including whether the restrictions apply uniformly across all routes or are subject to further regulatory guidance.

The UAE authorities have not publicly outlined a comprehensive policy announcement accompanying the airline updates. However, aviation advisories and carrier-level restrictions are often aligned with government directives during periods of regional instability.

The measures coincide with rising tensions involving Iran and neighboring states, which have increasingly affected aviation routes, airspace usage, and cross-border mobility. Airlines operating in the Gulf have in recent years adjusted policies in response to security concerns, diplomatic developments, and regulatory changes.

It remains unclear how many passengers may be affected by the restriction or whether additional carriers operating to the UAE will adopt similar measures.

The price controls, introduced in December after widespread flight cancellations by market leader IndiGo drove up ticket prices across the sector, will be withdrawn as conditions stabilise, the civil aviation ministry said in the order dated Friday.

“The prevailing situation has since stabilised, with restoration of capacity and normalisation of operations across the sector,” the ministry said. The order has not been made public, and a ministry spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment.

The caps had been imposed following disruptions that tightened seat availability and triggered fare spikes at rival carriers. Authorities intervened to limit price volatility and protect passengers.

Indian carriers had urged the government to remove the caps, arguing they were incurring significant revenue losses amid rising expenses, particularly from higher jet fuel prices.

Analysts at HSBC have estimated that a $1 per barrel change in fuel prices can alter IndiGo’s annual fuel bill by roughly 3 billion rupees.Under the restrictions, one-way fares for routes up to 500 km were capped at 7,500 rupees, while tickets for journeys between 1,000 and 1,500 km, including the busy New Delhi–Mumbai sector, were limited to 15,000 rupees.

The government directed airlines to ensure pricing remains “reasonable, transparent and commensurate with market conditions,” adding that passenger interests should not be adversely affected as the controls are lifted.

The move signals a shift back toward market-driven pricing in India’s aviation sector as operational stability returns, even as cost pressures persist.