Dubai and Sharjah flights from this Saudi airport cancelled again on day four

Dubai: Flight disruptions at Saudi Arabia's Abha International Airport stretched into a fourth consecutive day on Friday, with services to Dubai and Sharjah remaining suspended while a large part of the airport's domestic schedule continued to operate.

Passengers travelling between the UAE and the southern Saudi city continued to face uncertainty after fresh cancellations appeared on both arrival and departure boards.

Flydubai's two scheduled departures from Abha to Dubai, flight FZ811 at 5.55 pm and flight FZ815 at 12.15 pm, were cancelled on Friday.

Return services from Dubai to Abha were also affected. Flydubai flights FZ812 and FZ816, scheduled to depart Dubai at 6.55 pm and 1.15 pm respectively, were cancelled.

Air Arabia's Sharjah route remained suspended as well, with outbound flight G9196 from Abha to Sharjah and inbound flight G9195 from Sharjah to Abha both listed as cancelled.

What is still operating

Despite the disruption, Abha airport remained partially operational with several airlines continuing to serve major Saudi cities throughout Friday.

Multiple services between Abha and Riyadh operated or remained scheduled through carriers including flynas, flyadeal and Saudia.

Flights connecting Abha with Jeddah and Dammam also continued through the day, while services to Medina, Tabuk and Giza remained on the schedule.

Several morning arrivals from Riyadh and Jeddah landed or were listed as estimated, indicating that operations at the airport had not come to a complete halt.

Which flights were cancelled

Friday's arrival cancellations included multiple services from Riyadh and Jeddah, alongside flights from Dubai and Sharjah.

Cancelled arriving flights included Saudia services SV1644, SV1663, SV1669, SV1646 and SV1650 from Jeddah and Riyadh, flydubai flights FZ815 and FZ811 from Dubai, Air Arabia flight G9195 from Sharjah and flyadeal flight F3337 from Jeddah.

On the departure side, cancelled flights included flydubai services FZ816 and FZ812 to Dubai, Air Arabia flight G9196 to Sharjah, Saudia flights SV1647, SV1664, SV1670 and SV1649 to Jeddah and Riyadh, flyadeal flight F3334 to Jeddah and Egypt's Nile Air flight NP144 to Cairo.

A planned evening service to Medina operated by flynas was also cancelled.

Airports remain in focus

The latest disruption follows renewed military tensions involving Yemen's Houthi movement and Saudi Arabia.

Saudi warplanes struck Sanaa International Airport on Sunday. The Houthis responded by launching missiles and drones at Abha International Airport on Monday. Authorities reported no casualties following the attack.

The confrontation marked the most serious exchange between the two sides since a truce agreement reached in 2022.

Travel warnings remain in place

Canada, the UK and the US continue to maintain travel advisories covering areas near the Saudi-Yemen border and locations vulnerable to missile and drone attacks.

Canada recently updated its advisory to recommend avoiding non-essential travel to Abha International Airport because of the risk of missile and drone attacks.

The UK continues to advise against travel close to the Yemen border and warns that attacks could occur with little warning.

The United States maintains its Level 3 advisory asking citizens to reconsider travel to Saudi Arabia, while some areas remain under a Level 4 warning against travel.

American authorities have also highlighted the risk to airports, energy facilities and transport infrastructure across the kingdom.