UAE airlines cancel Saudi flights after Riyadh security incidents trigger disruptions

Airlines in the UAE have cancelled dozens of flights to Saudi Arabia and regional destinations on Sunday, 25 October, following security incidents in Riyadh and ongoing regional tensions. While Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport (RUH) is preparing to resume operations at Terminals 1 and 2, major carriers including Emirates, Etihad, flydubai, and Air Arabia have extended suspensions for several routes. Widespread cancellations to Saudi Arabia Etihad Airways confirmed the cancellation of all flights between Abu Dhabi and Dammam and Riyadh through Thursday, 5 November 2026. Selected services to Jeddah, including flights EY601 through EY604, are also suspended until the same date. Emirates has cancelled multiple daily services from Dubai to Dammam (EK823, EK827, EK821), Jeddah (EK801, EK805, EK803), and Riyadh (EK815, EK819, EK817). Budget carrier flydubai has suspended operations to Riyadh, Dammam, and Abha until 29 October 2026. However, some services to Jeddah, Gassim, and Medina remain scheduled or estimated to operate. Air Arabia has also reported cancellations from Sharjah and Abu Dhabi affecting routes to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Multan, Pakistan. Security incidents trigger disruptions The travel disruptions follow reports of three explosions in Riyadh on Sunday, 25 October. The Saudi-led coalition stated that air defences intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile launched toward the capital. This follows an incident on 24 October where debris from…