UAE airlines cancel Saudi flights after fatal Dammam airport attack

Airlines in the UAE have cancelled or delayed scores of flights on Thursday, 22 October, following a fatal attack on Saudi Arabia’s King Fahd International Airport in Dammam and ongoing regional security concerns. The disruptions come after the Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) confirmed one expatriate was killed and eight others injured when the Dammam facility was targeted on Wednesday evening. Saudi airport operations severely restricted The attack in Dammam caused material damage and forced the diversion of multiple aircraft, according to data from Flightradar24. While King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh has resumed limited domestic operations via Saudia and flynas, most international services remain suspended. Emirates has cancelled its services between Dubai and Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dammam, with only Madinah flights currently operating. Etihad Airways has confirmed the cancellation of all flights between Abu Dhabi and Dammam, Riyadh, and Jeddah through to Saturday, 24 October. Casualties reported at Aramco facility Regional tensions escalated further on Wednesday following a separate drone attack on a Saudi Aramco facility at the Shaybah oil field. Authorities confirmed two expatriates—a Filipino and a Nepali national—were killed in the strike, while an Indian and a Pakistani national sustained injuries. Although Saudi officials stated the facility’s operations were not affected, the US State Department has ordered the departure of non-emergency…