UAE Saudi Flight Cancellations Extend After Dammam Airport Attack

Disruption spreads from Riyadh to the Eastern Province

For almost two weeks, travel between the UAE and Saudi Arabia has depended on how badly each Saudi airport was hit. On Thursday, October 22, the problem reached a second city. A Houthi attack on King Fahd International Airport in Dammam on Wednesday night killed two people and injured eight, according to Arabian Business.11 In response, Emirates suspended all of its Dammam flights, and flydubai cancelled every scheduled Dammam service for the day.11

The Dammam strike follows the attack on Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport on Saturday, October 10, which started the wider disruption to Emirates, Etihad, flydubai and Air Arabia schedules.8 Riyadh's airport has been hit several times this month. It closed on October 10 and is still only partly open.10

The UAE's four main carriers have all cut services again this week. Departure and arrival boards in Dubai and Abu Dhabi also show delays on international routes.1 UAE airports themselves have stayed open throughout, so the main damage is to Gulf connections.

Carrier by carrier: what is flying

Emirates is now flying only to Medina among its listed Saudi routes. Its Dubai flights to Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam are cancelled.1 The Medina flights still running are EK807, EK2537 and EK809 outbound and EK808, EK2538 and EK810 on the return.11 Emirates also cancelled EK129 from Dubai to Moscow on Thursday for operational reasons.13

Etihad has cancelled all Abu Dhabi flights to Dammam and Riyadh through Saturday, October 24. On the Jeddah route, EY601, EY602, EY603 and EY604 are cancelled for the same period.116 Etihad has extended its cut-off date several times. It first ran to October 13, then to October 18, and now to October 24.65 Travellers should treat the current date as a guide, not a promise.

flydubai cancelled all of its listed Thursday flights to Riyadh, Abha and Dammam, as well as the outbound Ha'il service. Jeddah, Medina, Gassim, Tabuk and Taif flights showed a mix of scheduled, estimated and arrived statuses.1 From Sharjah, Air Arabia cancelled flights to Abha and Riyadh, and also to Cairo, Sohag, Almaty and Doha.1

One point of tension: Arabian Business reported that Riyadh operations remain suspended.11 Gulf News reported that King Khalid has restarted a small number of domestic Saudia and flynas flights, each needing prior approval.1 The two accounts may describe the same situation from different angles. For anyone flying from the UAE, a domestic-only, permission-based airport is still effectively closed.

Dammam's "normal" airport, without its airlines

Coverage of Dammam does not fully line up. Gulf News reported that Saudi Arabia's General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) said air traffic at King Fahd had returned to normal after the attack.10 Yet the two biggest Dubai carriers serving the city cancelled all their flights there on the same day.11

This gap is the most important point for travellers. An airport can be open while foreign airlines stay away, because each carrier makes its own risk call. When reports say an airport is "operational" and your airline says your flight is cancelled, the airline's decision is the one that counts.

The international picture supports that view. Gulf News reported that Lufthansa and Air France have cancelled Riyadh flights until mid-November.10 Arabian Business said some international airlines have suspended Saudi services until 2027.11 Condé Nast Traveller Middle East listed Qatar Airways, Air India and IndiGo among carriers cancelling until at least October 24, with KLM out of Riyadh until the end of the month.19 Exact dates differ by report, but every report points to a recovery measured in weeks.

The scale, in numbers

Cirium data cited by Gulf News shows the scale of the shock. On October 11, 623 of 1,096 scheduled departures from Saudi airports were cancelled or did not fly. In Riyadh, 353 of 354 did not fly.7 By October 15, almost half of all Saudi departures were still not operating. Riyadh had lost 298 of 366 flights, about 81 per cent.5

Jeddah held up better, with about a quarter of its departures lost on October 11.7 That helps explain why it has stayed the most reliable gateway for UAE travellers, along with Medina. Even so, Etihad's continued Jeddah cancellations show that route is not secure either.1

Some problems this week have nothing to do with Saudi Arabia. Etihad's Taipei flights were delayed by Super Typhoon Champi.1 Dubai–Tel Aviv services are still disrupted after the September 30 security incident on flydubai flight FZ1073, and Emirates' codeshare flights on that route remain suspended.13 Arrivals at Dubai from Russia, India and Central Asia also saw cancellations and delays on Thursday.16

Airport timing: plan for a longer wait

This is not a labour strike. It is a security crisis caused by military attacks on airports. One result is a longer journey through the terminal. Gulf News advised travellers to arrive at least three hours before departure. Passengers flying flydubai from Dubai should allow four hours, in line with the airline's own advice.3 The same guidance recommends online check-in and extra time for traffic, security and immigration.3

flydubai says check-in counters usually close 60 minutes before departure unless passengers are told otherwise by SMS or email.17 Above all, check your flight on the airline's app before leaving home. Many cancellations this month were confirmed only a day or two ahead.

Refunds and passenger rights

Refund rules depend on the airline and the country it is regulated in, and the gaps between them are wide.

For flights covered by Saudi rules, GACA's passenger-protection regulations are clear. If an airline cancels, it must offer an alternative flight. A passenger who refuses it can cancel the contract and get a full refund, including paid extras such as seats and bags.21 One Saudi consumer guide notes that airlines may avoid extra cash compensation for security-related cancellations, but only with reports approved by GACA. The free rebooking or full refund still applies.22 The same guide gives a practical warning: do not cancel a ticket yourself while the flight is still scheduled, because your fare's normal fees may then apply.22

As of October 12, Emirates, Etihad and Air Arabia had not published special incident-wide waivers. Passengers on cancelled flights were told to rebook or seek refunds through the airline's booking channels.22 Gulf News's own guidance simply tells passengers to contact their airline for rebooking or refunds.1 Tickets bought through travel agents generally have to be handled by the agent that sold them.21

Some foreign carriers have gone further. Air India and Air India Express offer one free date change, for travel up to November 10, on tickets issued by October 15 for travel between October 9 and 25. They also offer full refunds on cancelled flights.23 Akasa Air promises refunds to the original payment method within seven days, or free rescheduling.25 KLM offers free date changes, vouchers or refunds on eligible bookings.22

Based on this patchwork, the Gulf carriers' quieter approach is not a sign of weaker rights, since Saudi rules still apply to cancelled flights. It does mean passengers must ask for a refund themselves instead of waiting for an airline to offer one.

Visas, entry rules and stranded pilgrims

The disruption also raises visa problems. Air India lets passengers move their departure to another Gulf airport. Those who do must arrange their own transport there and meet that country's visa and entry rules.23 For a traveller stuck in Saudi Arabia, a rebooking from Dubai or Doha only works if they can legally enter the UAE or Qatar.

This is already affecting people. Coverage from coastal Karnataka describes Umrah pilgrims and visit-visa holders, whose return flights were cancelled, travelling by road within the Gulf to find flights home to India. The Indian Consulate in Jeddah has told nationals, especially Umrah pilgrims, to check their flight plans. Jeddah, Medina and Dammam airports remain open, but disruption continues.1 The consulate also runs control rooms in Jeddah and Makkah, and asks callers to have passport, visa and booking details ready.25 Saudi Arabia's foreign ministry has told its own citizens stranded abroad to contact the nearest Saudi mission.17

The main risk for these travellers is not the cancelled flight itself, which the airline must refund or rebook. It is the chance of overstaying a short visa while waiting for a seat. Anyone close to their visa expiry date should contact their sponsor or consulate early, not at the last minute.

What to watch

The next key date is October 24, when Etihad's and several Indian carriers' current suspensions end.124 Etihad has extended its date each time so far, and Riyadh remains a permission-only airport. A further extension seems more likely than a full restart. The attack on Dammam also suggests the danger is spreading to more airports, not easing. Until airlines publish firm restart dates, UAE travellers should rely on Jeddah and Medina where possible and confirm every flight on the day.