Saudi Arabia has extended the suspension of operations at Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport after deadly attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels at the weekend.
The General Authority of Civil Aviation said on Monday that the suspension would continue while checks on the safety and operational readiness of airport sites were completed. It did not give a date or time for when the airport would be reopened.
Etihad Airways has cancelled all flights between Abu Dhabi and Riyadh until Monday, October 19, extending disruption to services between the UAE and the Saudi capital into next week. Flydubai has also cancelled Riyadh flights until Wednesday, October 14, while Emirates and Air Arabia services have been affected.
The disruption continues beyond Riyadh, with flights to and from other Saudi destinations, including Dammam, Jeddah and Abha, also cancelled. Aviation analytics company Cirium said 46.4 per cent of scheduled flights across Saudi Arabia had been cancelled as of 4pm UAE time on Monday.
Etihad Airways
Etihad has cancelled all Abu Dhabi–Riyadh services until October 19, according to its latest travel advisory. The airline said the situation remains dynamic and further changes are possible.
Services to other Saudi destinations have also been affected. Etihad cancelled four flights between Abu Dhabi and Dammam on Monday, with all services on the route cancelled on Tuesday and Wednesday. Selected Jeddah flights have been cancelled through Thursday, October 15.
Passengers are advised to check their flight status directly with Etihad before travelling.
Emirates
Emirates' flight status website shows all six services between Dubai and Riyadh have been cancelled on Monday. These include outbound flights EK815, EK817 and EK819, along with returning services EK816, EK818 and EK820.
Four flights remain cancelled on Tuesday, including EK815, EK817 and EK819 from Dubai to Riyadh and the return service EK816. Return services EK818 and EK820 have not yet been listed as cancelled, although this does not confirm they will operate.
Flydubai
Flydubai has cancelled all flights between Dubai and Riyadh up to and including Wednesday, October 14. Services to Abha and Dammam have also been cancelled until that date.
“Flights to Abha, Dammam and Riyadh have been cancelled up to and including October 14,” a flydubai representative told The National. “We continue to monitor the situation closely and we will update our customers through our official channels regarding any amendments to our flight schedules.”
Air Arabia
According to Air Arabia's official flight status website, flights G9151 and G9154 from Sharjah to Riyadh have been cancelled on Monday and Tuesday. Flight G9195 from Sharjah to Abha is also listed as cancelled on both days.
What should passengers do?
Those with plans to travel should confirm their flight status directly with their airline before leaving for the airport and check notifications about changes to their booking.
Passengers whose flights have been cancelled should contact their airline or travel agent about rebooking and refund options. Travellers with onward connections should also confirm whether changes are needed to the rest of their journey.
