Emirates Madagascar Flight Cancellation Civil Unrest &Curfew

Emirates Madagascar flight cancellation has been announced for September 26 due to escalating civil unrest in the Indian Ocean island nation. The airline confirmed that flights EK707 from Dubai to Antananarivo and EK708 from Antananarivo to Dubai were cancelled amid a government-imposed nighttime curfew following nationwide protests.

The Madagascar government enforced the curfew after demonstrators took to the streets voicing frustration over persistent water and power outages. Numerous protesters erected road barricades with burning tyres and rocks, leading to clashes with police who used rubber bullets and tear gas. Reports also emerged of looting at retail outlets, appliance stores, banks, and damaging attacks on stations of the city’s new cable car system.

Political tensions also flared, with politicians’ homes reportedly attacked in the capital city. Police Chief Angelo Ravelonarivo stressed the curfew, effective from 7 pm to 5 am, is necessary to restore calm and protect civilians.

The unrest highlights the widespread dissatisfaction with longstanding utility outages, which sometimes deprive residents of electricity for more than 12 hours daily. Many in Madagascar attribute the hardships to government corruption, lack of transparency, and arbitrary decision-making, with protests largely fueled by youth mobilized through social media platforms.

President Nirina Rajoelina, in power since 2019 after a controversial third-term election, faces mounting criticism for failing to resolve Madagascar’s economic and social challenges. Approximately 75 percent of the population lives below the poverty line, according to World Bank data from 2022.

Affected Emirates customers will be rebooked automatically and notified via email. The situation remains fluid as authorities work to stabilize the island nation.