DUBAI, October 13, 2026 — Gulf aviation descended into chaos on Tuesday as Emirates, Etihad Airways, flydubai and Air Arabia scrapped dozens of flights to Saudi Arabia, with Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport reporting 353 of 354 scheduled departures affected amid an extended closure following Houthi missile strikes.
The cancellations mark one of the worst single-day disruptions in Gulf aviation history, stranding thousands of passengers — including Umrah pilgrims — and prompting the US Federal Aviation Administration to urge American carriers to exercise caution when flying to or over Saudi airspace.
Etihad Extends Riyadh Blackout to October 19
Etihad Airways announced the most sweeping measures, cancelling all flights between Abu Dhabi and Riyadh until Monday, October 19, according to its latest travel advisory. The Abu Dhabi carrier also cancelled all Abu Dhabi-Dammam flights on October 13 and 14, and selected Jeddah services remain grounded.
Emirates Grounds Dubai-Saudi Network
Emirates cancelled its Dubai-Riyadh services — flights EK815, EK817 and EK819 — for October 13 and 14, alongside the return flight EK816. The Dubai flag carrier also scrapped services to Dammam, Jeddah and Medina on October 13, flight tracking data showed.
flydubai and Air Arabia Join the Groundings
Budget carrier flydubai cancelled flights to Abha, AlUla, Dammam, Ha’il, Neom and Riyadh through October 14. Air Arabia cancelled Sharjah services to Abha, Dammam, Jizan, Gassim, Riyadh and Taif. Lufthansa Group has suspended Riyadh flights through October 16.
Airport Carnage Behind the Chaos
The cancellations follow Saturday’s Houthi strike on King Khalid International Airport, which Saudi aviation authorities said killed 12 people and injured more than 300. Flightradar24 data showed nearly all scheduled Riyadh flights cancelled on October 11, with 511 flights — nearly 75 percent — still cancelled on October 12.
International Warnings Mount
The US Federal Aviation Administration urged American operators to take caution in Saudi airspace, while Australia issued a travel warning and the UK Foreign Office advised against all travel to parts of Saudi Arabia. Airlines advised stranded passengers to check rebooking and refund options directly, warning further cancellations could follow with little notice.
