UAE flight disruptions hit Saudi and India routes amid security alerts

Flight disruptions continue across the UAE on Wednesday, 28 October, as regional security concerns and technical issues trigger cancellations and delays on major international routes. Disruptions have hit services to Saudi Arabia, India, and Kuwait, even as airports record a sharp increase in winter travel demand. Etihad and SpiceJet report major delays Etihad Airways confirmed the cancellation of all flights between Abu Dhabi and Dammam and Riyadh through 5 November. The carrier also cancelled specific services to Jeddah, including flights EY601 and EY603 from Abu Dhabi. Two other services, Abu Dhabi-Vienna (EY153) and Abu Dhabi-New Delhi (EY219), were delayed on Wednesday due to technical issues. At Dubai International (DXB), SpiceJet cancelled arrivals from Ahmedabad (SG5146), Pune (SG051), and Kochi (SG5117). Other cancelled services at DXB include Flynas flights from Riyadh and Gassim, Ethiopian Airlines from Addis Ababa, and Kam Air from Kabul. Passengers have been advised to verify flight status directly with Emirates, as some codeshare flights show conflicting data between airport boards and airline apps. Regional security triggers travel warnings The disruptions coincide with heightened regional tensions. Saudi Arabian authorities reported the interception of two ballistic missiles over Riyadh and three over the eastern region, leading to travel alerts in Jeddah and Yanbu. Consequently, the US, UK, Australia, and Canada have updated their travel advisories for the…