The website for the Fazaa Programme is experiencing extremely high traffic after the UAE announced free discount memberships for resident families as part of the Year of the Family 2026 initiative.

Visitors attempting to access the registration page on Sunday evening were placed into a virtual waiting line, with estimated wait times exceeding one hour and 30 minutes, according to a message displayed on the website.

“We are experiencing a high volume of traffic and using a virtual queue to limit the amount of users on the website at the same time,” the notice said.

“This will ensure you have the best possible online experience.”

The site also warns users not to close their browser, as the page will automatically refresh once it is their turn to access the platform.

The surge in demand comes after authorities announced that resident families across the UAE will be eligible to receive free Fazaa discount memberships, granting access to deals on travel, dining, shopping and entertainment across the country.

The membership will remain valid throughout 2026, which has been designated by the UAE as the Year of the Family.

Read more: Free Fazaa cards for UAE families: How to apply for the discount membership

How to apply

Families can register through the official Fazaa website, where applicants must submit personal details and upload Emirates ID copies for all family members.

To qualify, applicants must have at least one child, according to the programme guidelines.

Successful applicants receive a confirmation email and can activate their digital Fazaa membership through the mobile application.

Strong consumer demand

The rush to apply reflects strong demand for discount platforms across the UAE.

Earlier this week, Dubai-based lifestyle platform The ENTERTAINER said its own community initiative saw 250,000 memberships claimed within four hours after launch.

Read more: ENTERTAINER CEO reveals 250,000 free memberships claimed across GCC in hours

Speaking to Gulf Business, founder and CEO Donna Benton said the campaign exceeded expectations.

“The campaign has been phenomenal and has gone above and beyond. Our aim was to encourage support for our world-class hospitality industry – and our wildest expectations have been surpassed,” Benton said.

Discounts have been offered by other attractions in Dubai in recent days, including the likes of Atlantis Aquaventure and Miracle Garden.

Read more: Atlantis Aquaventure, Miracle Garden roll out free tickets for UAE residents

Update: Residents trying to apply for the UAE’s newly announced free Fazaa discount cards are encountering long virtual queues as demand surges across the country. Read more here.

Resident families in the UAE will be able to access free Fazaa discount memberships as part of a new initiative launched during the Year of the Family 2026.

The programme, rolled out by Fazaa in collaboration with the Ministry of Family, will provide households across the country with access to a range of lifestyle benefits, including discounts on travel, dining, shopping and entertainment.

Authorities said the initiative aims to make it easier for families to spend time together while accessing everyday lifestyle offers across the UAE. The membership will remain valid throughout the Year of the Family 2026 and will expire at the end of the year.

The Fazaa Programme is a UAE government-backed benefits platform that offers exclusive deals across sectors including hospitality, retail, leisure and travel.

In a social media post announcing the initiative, organisers said the move was intended as a gesture of appreciation to families living in the country.

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A post shared by Fazaa4all فزعة (@fazaa4all)

“This initiative is a message of gratitude and appreciation to every family that has chosen the UAE as its home, and a confirmation that your stability and happiness are the foundation of our strong and united community,” the statement said.

How families can register

Families can apply for the free membership through the official Fazaa website, where applicants are required to submit personal details and upload Emirates ID copies for all family members.

Applicants must have at least one child to qualify for the programme.

Once registration is completed, users will receive an email confirmation and can activate their digital membership through the Fazaa mobile application. A contact centre is also available to assist residents with activation issues.

Wider community initiatives

The announcement follows other recent community-focused initiatives aimed at supporting residents and local businesses.

Earlier this week, Dubai-based lifestyle platform The ENTERTAINER said it would distribute 100,000 free memberships across the UAE as part of a community campaign designed to support the hospitality sector.

Read more: ENTERTAINER CEO reveals 250,000 free memberships claimed across GCC in hours

Donna Benton, founder and CEO of the ENTERTAINER, said the response from residents across the UAE and wider GCC exceeded expectations.

Speaking to Gulf Business, Benton said: “The campaign has been phenomenal and has gone above and beyond. Our aim was to encourage support for our world-class hospitality industry – and our wildest expectations have been surpassed. 250,000 One Heart memberships were claimed in four hours, with over 20,000 offers being redeemed at participating venues across the UAE in just one day.”

The rapid uptake prompted the company to progressively increase the number of memberships available, first doubling the original allocation before ultimately scaling the initiative fivefold to meet demand across the region.

The initial tranche of 50,000 memberships was claimed in less than an hour, highlighting the scale of consumer interest.

Discounts have been offered by other attractions in Dubai in recent days, including the likes of Atlantis Aquaventure and Miracle Garden.

Read more: Atlantis Aquaventure, Miracle Garden roll out free tickets for UAE residents

Air India Express has cancelled all flights scheduled for Sunday to and from Abu Dhabi, Ras Al Khaimah and Sharjah after receiving instructions from UAE airport authorities, the airline confirmed.

In a media note issued on Sunday, the airline said it had been “compelled to curtail its ad-hoc operations” for the day.

“All Air India Express flights planned for the day to and from Abu Dhabi, Ras Al Khaimah and Sharjah stand cancelled,” the airline said.

The carrier added that it plans to operate one round-trip flight on the Delhi–Dubai route, subject to slot availability and prevailing operational conditions at the time.

Passengers booked on affected flights have been offered the option to rebook for a later date without additional charges or request a full refund.

“Guests booked on cancelled or temporarily suspended services may rebook to a future date at no additional charge or opt for a full refund,” an Air India Express spokesperson said.

“Air India Express regrets the inconvenience caused by these unavoidable constraints and remains committed to bringing guests home at the earliest opportunity.”

The disruption comes as airlines across the region adjust schedules amid the evolving security situation in the Middle East.

Low-cost carrier IndiGo also said that flight operations to and from Dubai have been affected, warning passengers of potential changes to schedules.

“Due to the evolving situation in the Middle East, flight operations have been further restricted in Dubai, leading to changes in flight schedules,” IndiGo said in a travel advisory on Sunday.

The airline urged passengers to check their flight status before heading to the airport.

The developments follow a series of aviation disruptions across the Gulf in recent days as regional tensions have affected airspace operations and airline scheduling.

Travellers flying between the UAE and India may soon face higher ticket prices after major Indian airlines announced new fuel surcharges following a sharp spike in aviation fuel costs linked to geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.

Air India Group and IndiGo, two of the largest carriers operating extensive routes between India and the Gulf, have begun introducing additional charges on domestic and international flights.

The airlines say the move is necessary to offset the steep rise in aviation turbine fuel (ATF), one of the biggest expenses in airline operations.

For passengers travelling on the heavily trafficked UAE–India corridor, the new charges could gradually translate into higher ticket prices, especially for new bookings made in the coming weeks.

Read more-Crisis in the Middle East: Rising airfares, emergency visa rules you need to know about

The development comes at a time when aviation fuel prices have surged globally. Since early March 2026, ATF, which accounts for nearly 40 per cent of an airline’s operating costs, has seen a sharp escalation due to supply disruptions linked to geopolitical developments in the Gulf region.

Industry analysts note that airlines often pass part of these rising costs to passengers through surcharges or fare adjustments. With millions of travellers flying annually between cities such as Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah and Indian hubs like Delhi, Mumbai, Kochi and Hyderabad, the impact could be felt across one of the world’s busiest international travel corridors.

Air India announces phased fuel surcharge

Air India Group said on March 10 that it will implement a phased expansion of fuel surcharges across domestic and international routes.

The airline said the measure was necessitated by the sharp increase in jet fuel prices, which has significantly raised operating costs for carriers.

In India, the financial pressure is further compounded by high excise duty and value-added tax (VAT) on aviation fuel in major metro cities such as Delhi and Mumbai, magnifying the cost burden on airlines.

The airline said the surcharge will be implemented in three phases and will apply to travel on all flights, including those operated by Air India Express.

Phase 1 (For all new bookings made from 0001 hours India Standard Time on March 12, 2026):

Fuel surcharge is currently not applied on flights to/from Singapore but shall apply from Phase 1

Phase 2 (for all new bookings made from 0001 hours India Standard Time on 18 March 2026):

Phase 3 will apply to and from Far East markets, namely Hong Kong, Japan, and South Korea, which will be announced in due course.

The airline clarified that bookings already made before the specified dates will not attract the new surcharge unless customers change their itinerary or travel dates, which would require recalculating the fare.

“Air India regrets the need to increase fuel surcharges in this manner but emphasises that it is necessitated by factors outside its control,” the airline said in a statement.

The airline added that without such surcharges, some flights might not be able to cover operating costs and could face cancellation.

IndiGo introduces fuel charge

Budget carrier IndiGo has also announced a new “fuel charge” that will apply to both domestic and international routes from March 14, the official statement posted on the airline’s X account said.

The airline said the decision was prompted by a steep surge in jet fuel prices linked to ongoing geopolitical issues in the Middle East.

According to the International Air Transport Association’s jet fuel monitor, prices in the region have increased by more than 85 per cent.

“Aviation Turbine Fuel represents a significant share of airlines’ operating cost. This sudden and steep increase will have a material impact on all airlines’ costs and network, including IndiGo’s,” the airline said.

While the airline acknowledged that fully offsetting the cost surge would require a substantial fare increase, it said the fuel charge introduced was comparatively smaller to reduce the burden on customers.

Starting March 14, 2026, 00:01 hrs, overall prices for all new bookings on IndiGo flights will include the following additional Fuel Charge, per sector.

“IndiGo regrets the inconvenience resulting from this additional charge and reiterates that the measure has been driven by a sudden and substantial change in the operating environment,” the airline said.

The airline added that it will continue monitoring the situation and adjust charges when appropriate while maintaining its commitment to affordable and convenient travel.

Impact on UAE–India travel

With both full-service and low-cost airlines introducing fuel surcharges, ticket prices on routes between the UAE and India could face upward pressure in the coming weeks.

Flights between the two countries are among the busiest international connections globally, driven by tourism, business travel and the large Indian expatriate population in the Gulf.

As airlines adjust to volatile fuel prices, passengers booking upcoming travel may notice slightly higher fares, particularly for last-minute bookings or peak travel periods.

For now, airlines say the surcharges will be reviewed periodically depending on how fuel prices evolve, leaving open the possibility that fares could stabilise, or rise further, if fuel costs remain elevated.

Formula 1 has officially announced that the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix scheduled for April will not take place owing to the ongoing situation in the Middle East.

The global racing giant said early on Sunday that the decision was taken following consultations with the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) and the respective race promoters.

Organisers said several alternatives were considered but ultimately decided not to stage replacement races during the April slot. The races were originally scheduled for April 10–12 in Bahrain and April 17–19 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

The cancellations will also affect the scheduled rounds of Formula 2, Formula 3 and F1 Academy, which were set to take place alongside the Formula 1 races.

Stefano Domenicali, president and chief executive of Formula 1, said the decision had been difficult but necessary given the current circumstances.

“While this was a difficult decision to take, it is unfortunately the right one at this stage considering the current situation in the Middle East,” Domenicali said.

“I want to take this opportunity to thank the FIA as well as our incredible promoters for their support and total understanding as they were looking forward to hosting us with their usual energy and passion.”

FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem said the governing body prioritised the safety and wellbeing of all those involved in the championship.

“The FIA will always place the safety and wellbeing of our community and colleagues first,” Ben Sulayem said.

“After careful consideration, we have taken this decision with that responsibility firmly in mind.”

He added that Bahrain and Saudi Arabia remain key fixtures on the Formula 1 calendar and that the championship hopes to return once circumstances allow.

Sheikh Salman bin Isa Al Khalifa, chief executive of the Bahrain International Circuit, said the venue supported the decision and looked forward to welcoming fans back when Formula 1 returns.

“We fully support the decision by Formula 1, and we are grateful to them and to the FIA for their support and enduring partnership,” he said.

Prince Khalid bin Sultan Al-Abdullah Al-Faisal, chairman of the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation and chairman of the Saudi Motorsport Company, said fans in the Kingdom had been looking forward to the race in Jeddah but understood the move.

“The Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation respects the decision taken by Formula 1 regarding the 2026 race calendar,” he said.

Formula 1 said it hopes to return to both countries once the situation in the region stabilises.