UAE-Saudi flights: Emirates, Etihad, flydubai cancel Riyadh, Dammam, Jeddah service update

Today, October 12, UAE travellers experienced flight disruptions as several airlines canceled or delayed their services. This was primarily due to regional tensions and security concerns. Major airlines such as Emirates, Etihad, flydubai, and Air Arabia canceled multiple routes connecting the UAE with Saudi Arabia, including routes to Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, and Abha. Additionally, some flights to Tel Aviv were affected due to a recent security incident involving flydubai flight FZ1073.

Emirates canceled several flights from Dubai to Saudi Arabia, such as EK815, EK819, and EK817 from Dubai-Riyadh, EK823, EK827, and EK821 from Dubai-Dammam, and EK801, EK805, and EK803 from Dubai-Jeddah. Similarly, flydubai canceled flights FZ883, FZ869, FZ863, and FZ867 for Dubai-Dammam, as well as FZ847, FZ841, and FZ855 for Dubai-Riyadh. Air Arabia also had cancellations from Sharjah, including G9195 (Sharjah-Abha), G9070 (Sharjah-Gassim), G9151 and G9154 (Sharjah-Riyadh), and G9187 (Sharjah-Taif).

Etihad Airways faced its own set of cancellations, with services between Abu Dhabi and Dammam, Jeddah, and Riyadh on October 12 and 13 being affected. Passengers were advised to check their flight status on the airlines' official websites or apps as schedules could change at short notice. The UAE General Civil Aviation Authority suspended all flights operated by Iranian airlines due to US sanctions, and flydubai suspended its Tel Aviv routes following a security incident.

Travel advisories from the UK, US, Australia, Canada, and Europe emphasized the unpredictable regional security situation and possible airspace closures, urging travelers to exercise caution and check for updates before their trips. Despite these disruptions, some flights continued to operate, with Emirates, flydubai, and Air Arabia resuming operations on some routes.