UAE-Saudi flight cancellations: Emirates, Etihad, flydubai and Air Arabia issue fresh updates after Riyadh attack
A total of 3,129 Saudi departures were cancelled or marked as no-fly between Oct 8 and 14
Passengers travelling between the UAE and Saudi Arabia face further flight disruptions on Wednesday, October 14, and Thursday, October 15, as Emirates, Etihad Airways, flydubai and Air Arabia list cancellations on several routes.
The latest airline updates show cancellations affecting flights from Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah to Saudi destinations. Some cancellations extend beyond October 15, with Etihad suspending services on selected routes through October 18 and 19. Other flights are listed as scheduled, awaiting departure or subject to revised timings.
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The disruption comes as Saudi Arabia continues to experience widespread flight cancellations and operational changes.
According to Cirium, an aviation analytics company, 3,129 of 7,705 scheduled departures between October 8 and 14 had been cancelled or marked no-fly as of 8pm Riyadh time on October 13. That represents 40.61% of scheduled departures during the period.
Passengers should check their flight status directly with their airline before leaving for the airport, as schedules and operational arrangements may change.
Saudi airport disruptions
October 12: 632 of 1,048 scheduled departures were cancelled or marked no-fly.
October 13: 556 of 1,058 departures were affected.
Riyadh: 296 of 334 departures affected on October 13 (88.62%).
Other airports: Taif (66.67%), Abha (57.89%), Dammam (50.88%), Jeddah (28.38%) and Medina (21.59%).
These figures cover all departures from Saudi Arabia, not just UAE-bound flights. Passengers should check directly with their airlines.
Emirates cancels Dubai flights to Saudi Arabia
Emirates has listed multiple cancellations between Dubai International Airport and Saudi Arabia on October 14 and 15.
Dubai–Riyadh: Flights EK815, EK817 and EK819 from Dubai, and EK816, EK818 and EK820 from Riyadh, are listed as cancelled on both days.
Dubai–Jeddah: Services EK801, EK803 and EK805 from Dubai, and EK802, EK804 and EK806 from Jeddah, are listed as cancelled on October 14 and 15.
Dubai–Dammam: Flights EK821, EK823 and EK827 from Dubai, and EK822, EK824 and EK828 from Dammam, are listed as cancelled on October 14. The October 15 cancellation list also includes EK825 from Dubai and EK826 from Dammam.
Dubai–Medina: Flight EK810 from Medina to Dubai is listed as cancelled on October 14. Flights EK809 from Dubai to Medina and EK810 on the return route are listed for October 15.
Passengers should confirm their individual flight details through the Emirates website.
Important: Flight schedules remain subject to change. Check your airline’s official website or app for the latest information.
Etihad extends Abu Dhabi–Saudi flight cancellations
Etihad Airways has cancelled services between Abu Dhabi and Dammam, Riyadh and Jeddah, with different routes affected for varying periods.
Abu Dhabi–Dammam: All flights are cancelled through Sunday, October 18.
Abu Dhabi–Riyadh: All flights are also cancelled through October 18.
Abu Dhabi–Jeddah: Flights EY601 from Abu Dhabi to Jeddah and EY602 from Jeddah to Abu Dhabi are cancelled from October 12 through October 18. Services EY603 and EY604 are cancelled until Monday, October 19.
Etihad has advised passengers to monitor updates and contact the airline for assistance with alternative travel arrangements.
Check the Etihad Airways website or its help and contact page for the latest information.
flydubai flight status: Riyadh, Abha and Neom cancellations
flydubai has listed cancellations affecting several routes between Dubai and Saudi Arabia on October 14 and 15. Other services are shown as scheduled, estimated, arrived or awaiting departure.
Dubai–Riyadh
The following flights are listed as cancelled on both October 14 and 15:
Dubai to Riyadh: FZ847, FZ841 and FZ855.
Riyadh to Dubai: FZ848, FZ842 and FZ856.
Dubai–Abha
Dubai to Abha: FZ811 is listed as cancelled on October 14 and 15.
Abha to Dubai: FZ812 appears in the supplied status information without a cancellation notice. Passengers should check its latest status separately.
Dubai–Neom
Flights FZ931 from Dubai to Neom and FZ932 from Neom to Dubai are listed as cancelled on both days.
Additional cancellations on October 15
Further cancellations listed for Thursday, October 15, affect:
Jouf: FZ913 from Dubai and FZ914 on the return route.
Ha’il: FZ821 from Dubai and FZ822 on the return route.
Hofuf: FZ809 from Dubai and FZ810 on the return route.
Other flydubai flights and destinations
The supplied flight-status information lists the following services for October 14 and 15:
Jeddah: On October 14, outbound flights FZ919 and FZ831 were listed as arrived, while FZ909 and FZ829 had estimated status. Return flight FZ920 was in flight; FZ832 and FZ910 had estimated status, while FZ830 and FZ808 were scheduled. On October 15, outbound flights FZ831, FZ909, FZ829 and FZ807 were listed as scheduled. Return flights FZ920, FZ832, FZ910, FZ830 and FZ808 also appeared in the supplied listing, but their cancellation status should be verified with the airline.
Medina: On October 14, FZ897 had an estimated status and FZ827 was scheduled. Return flight FZ828 was listed as arrived and FZ898 had estimated status. On October 15, FZ897 and FZ827, along with return flights FZ828 and FZ898, were listed as scheduled.
Tabuk: FZ881 from Dubai and FZ882 on the return route were listed as scheduled on both days.
Dammam: Outbound flights FZ883, FZ869, FZ863 and FZ867, and return flights FZ884, FZ870, FZ864 and FZ868, appeared in the supplied information for both days without cancellation notices.
Gassim: On October 14, FZ875 and FZ876 had estimated status. On October 15, FZ875, FZ871 and FZ876 were listed as scheduled.
AlUla: FZ905 and FZ906 appeared in the October 15 listing, but a definitive status was not provided.
The supplied information did not establish a definitive flight status for every service to Taif, Red Sea, Yanbu, Qaisumah and Nejran on October 14. Passengers should check the airline's live tracker for any route not listed above.
Before you travel: flydubai says check-in counters generally close 60 minutes before departure unless passengers have been notified otherwise. Check the flydubai website for the latest flight updates.
Air Arabia flight status: Sharjah–Saudi cancellations
Air Arabia has listed cancellations on several routes between Sharjah and Saudi Arabia on October 14 and 15. Other services are listed as not yet departed, with some flight times updated.
Sharjah–Riyadh
Flights are cancelled on both days:
Sharjah to Riyadh: G9151 and G9154.
Riyadh to Sharjah: G9152 and G9155.
Sharjah–Abha
Flights are cancelled on October 14 and 15:
Sharjah to Abha: G9195.
Abha to Sharjah: G9196.
Sharjah–Dammam
Flights G9160 from Sharjah to Dammam and G9161 from Dammam to Sharjah are cancelled on both days.
Other services have the following status:
October 14: G9163 from Sharjah was due to arrive at 8.30am. G9167 from Sharjah, and G9164 and G9168 from Dammam, were listed as not yet departed.
October 15: G9163 and G9167 from Sharjah, and G9164 and G9168 from Dammam, were listed as not yet departed.
Sharjah–Taif
Flights G9187 from Sharjah to Taif and G9188 from Taif to Sharjah are cancelled on October 14 and 15.
Sharjah–Tabuk
Flights G9191 from Sharjah to Tabuk and G9192 from Tabuk to Sharjah are cancelled on October 14. Both services were listed as not yet departed on October 15.
Sharjah–Al Jouf
Flights G9221 from Sharjah to Al Jouf and G9222 from Al Jouf to Sharjah were listed as not yet departed on both October 14 and 15. No cancellation notice was provided for these services.
Sharjah–Gassim
October 14: G9070 from Sharjah was listed as having arrived late at 8.19am. G9181 from Sharjah, and G9071 and G9182 from Gassim, were listed as not yet departed.
October 15: G9070 from Sharjah and G9071 from Gassim were listed as not yet departed. Flights G9181 from Sharjah and G9182 from Gassim had updated flight times.
Sharjah–Ha’il
No flights were found for either direction on October 14.
For October 15, G9197 from Sharjah to Ha’il and G9198 from Ha’il to Sharjah were listed as not yet departed.
Sharjah–Jeddah
October 14, Sharjah to Jeddah: G9145 was due to arrive at 9.25am, while G9147 and G9149 were listed as not yet departed.
October 14, Jeddah to Sharjah: G9146, G9148 and G9150 were listed as not yet departed.
October 15, Sharjah to Jeddah: G9145, G9219, G9147 and G9149 were listed as not yet departed.
October 15, Jeddah to Sharjah: G9146, G9220 and G9148 were listed as not yet departed.
No cancellation notices were provided for these Jeddah services in the supplied information.
Sharjah–Medina
October 14, Sharjah to Medina: G9177 was due to arrive at 9.10am, while G9175 had an updated flight time.
October 14, Medina to Sharjah: G9178 was listed as not yet departed, while G9176 had an updated flight time.
October 15: G9177 and G9175 from Sharjah, and G9178 and G9176 from Medina, were listed as not yet departed.
Sharjah–Jizan
No flights were found between Sharjah and Jizan in either direction on October 14. No October 15 flight information was provided.
Passengers can check the latest information on the Air Arabia website.
Saudi airport disruptions add to travel uncertainty
Cirium's data shows that 632 of 1,048 scheduled departures on October 12 were cancelled or marked no-fly, representing 60.31%. On October 13, 556 of 1,058 scheduled departures were listed as affected, or 52.55%.
Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport recorded the highest disruption among the major airports on October 13. Of 334 scheduled departures, 296 were cancelled or marked no-fly, representing 88.62%.
Other airports also recorded substantial disruption:
Jeddah: 105 of 370 scheduled departures were affected, or 28.38%.
Dammam: 58 of 114 departures were affected, representing 50.88%.
Abha: 22 of 38 departures were affected, or 57.89%.
Taif: Eight of 12 departures were affected, representing 66.67%.
Medina: 19 of 88 departures were affected, or 21.59%.
These figures cover departures from Saudi Arabia and do not mean every UAE–Saudi flight has been cancelled. Passengers should check their individual services with their airlines.
Saudia, flynas and flyadeal among airlines affected
The disruption has affected Saudi carriers and international airlines operating departures from the Kingdom, according to Cirium, an aviation analytics company.
Between October 8 and 13, Saudia recorded 1,091 cancelled or no-fly departures out of 2,273 scheduled flights, representing 48% of its services.
Flynas recorded 564 affected departures out of 1,183 scheduled flights, or 47.68%, while flyadeal had 496 affected departures out of 975, representing 50.87%.
Several international airlines also recorded high proportions of affected departures during the same period:
Akasa Air: 26 of 32 scheduled departures were affected, or 81.25%.
Emirates: 47 of 62 departures were affected, representing 75.81%.
Riyadh Air: 80 of 113 departures were affected, or 70.80%.
Air India Express: 25 of 51 departures were affected, or 49.02%.
Etihad Airways: 26 of 76 departures were affected, representing 34.21%.
flydubai: 38 of 132 departures were affected, or 28.79%.
Qatar Airways: 48 of 124 departures were affected, or 38.71%.
IndiGo: 32 of 94 departures were affected, representing 34.04%.
These figures cover departures from Saudi Arabia between October 8 and 13, rather than the airlines' entire global operations. The classification includes flights cancelled or marked no-fly and does not necessarily mean every affected service was formally cancelled.
What UAE–Saudi travellers need to know
Passengers travelling between the UAE and Saudi Arabia should:
Check the flight number: Cancellations may affect selected services rather than every flight on a route.
Verify the travel date: A flight cancelled on October 14 may have a different status on October 15.
Contact the airline: Ask about rebooking and alternative travel arrangements if a flight has been cancelled.
Check before leaving: Use the airline's official website or app for the latest departure and arrival information.
Confirm connecting flights: Travellers connecting through Riyadh, Jeddah or Dammam should check the status of onward services.
With disruptions continuing across several UAE–Saudi routes, passengers should not assume that all flights between the two countries have been suspended. Airline-specific updates remain the most reliable way to confirm whether an individual service is operating.
Important travel update: Check your flight status before heading to the airport, as services may change at short notice.
