Middle East flights remain disrupted as airlines cancel routes despite airport reopenings and airspace warnings

Several airlines continue to suspend routes, cut flight frequencies or make last-minute schedule changes despite the reopening of Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport on October 18. The airport’s reopening has not restored normal air travel across the Middle East, as continuing security concerns and airspace restrictions continue to disrupt airline operations.

The disruption follows a series of attacks on Saudi Arabian airports and infrastructure since early October, including repeated strikes affecting Riyadh. The situation has prompted airlines to reassess whether flights can operate safely, while aviation authorities continue to monitor the risks associated with flying through parts of the region.

Also read: Saudi Arabia's flyadeal launches non-stop flights from Mumbai to Riyadh, expands India operations


For Indian travellers, the impact extends beyond Saudi Arabia. Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha are important transit hubs for passengers travelling from India to Europe, North America and other international destinations. A cancelled flight, a longer route or a last-minute schedule change can therefore disrupt an entire journey, even when the passenger's final destination is outside the Middle East.

As of the October 19 update, airlines were operating with varying levels of restrictions. Here is a breakdown of the major route changes and suspension dates reported by the carriers.

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has extended its advisory warning airlines against flying over parts of the Gulf, including the waters around the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar, until November 16.

The warning applies to EU airlines and non-EU carriers authorised to operate flights to, from or within the European Union. “The possible use of missiles, drones, combat aircraft and air-defence systems creates a high risk to civil flights at all altitudes and flight levels within the concerned airspace," it states.

Airline updates

Air India and Air India Express: Both airlines have suspended flights to and from Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam until October 24. Passengers affected by the cancellations should check the airlines' latest advisories for refund and rebooking arrangements. The carriers have said that they are monitoring the situation before restoring services.

IndiGo: The airline has cancelled flights to and from Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam and Madinah until October 24. Passengers travelling to Saudi Arabia should verify their flight status before leaving for the airport, as the suspension may affect both outbound and return journeys.

Akasa Air: The airline has suspended flights to Riyadh until October 24 and services to Jeddah until October 21. Passengers with affected bookings should check the latest cancellation notices and available alternatives.

Etihad Airways: The Abu Dhabi-based carrier has cancelled flights to and from Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam until October 24. The affected Jeddah services include flights EY601 and EY603 from Abu Dhabi, and EY602 and EY604 on the return journey. Passengers with disrupted bookings are being accommodated on available alternatives, subject to the airline's arrangements.

Emirates: The Dubai-based airline continues to operate a large international network, but services to Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam have faced cancellations and schedule changes. Several Dubai-Jeddah services, including EK801, EK805 and EK803, were listed as cancelled on October 19 and 20, with services scheduled to resume on October 21. Flights EK815, EK819 and EK817 between Dubai and Riyadh have also been affected, with resumptions planned for October 20 and 21. These were planned dates, not guarantees that flights would operate.

Qatar Airways: The airline continues to operate flights to the UAE, including multiple daily services to Dubai, but flights to Riyadh and Dammam have been cancelled. Its network has expanded to more than 160 destinations, or around 85 per cent of its pre-conflict network. The airline has also offered eligible passengers with confirmed travel dates a complimentary date change up to October 31, 2026.

Flydubai: Flights to Riyadh, Dammam and Abha have been cancelled through October 24. The airline is operating a reduced schedule and has warned that rerouted flight paths may increase flight durations and transit times through Dubai. Services to Tel Aviv have also been suspended.

Air Arabia: Flights to Riyadh, Abha, Dammam and Taif remain suspended, with no resumption date announced in the October 19 update. The airline continues to operate selected services from Sharjah, Abu Dhabi and Ras Al Khaimah to international destinations. Passengers whose flights were cancelled can check whether they remain eligible for rebooking or a refund.

Gulf Air: The Bahraini airline has restored its network to approximately 75 per cent of its pre-conflict capacity and serves more than 50 destinations. However, services to Riyadh and Kuwait have experienced intermittent disruption.

Oman Air: Flights to and from Riyadh have been cancelled until October 22. The airline has also warned of delays and cancellations on some routes because of technical issues and airspace restrictions.

International airlines extend cancellations into November and 2027

The disruption is not limited to airlines based in the Gulf. Several international carriers have suspended routes or postponed planned resumptions, leaving passengers with fewer options on some journeys.

• Air France: Flights to Tel Aviv have resumed after a six-month suspension. Dubai services were scheduled to remain suspended until October 31, while Riyadh flights were planned to resume on October 24, subject to a fresh security assessment. Beirut services resumed on September 26.
• ITA Airways: Dubai flights have been suspended until October 24, while Riyadh services have been suspended until November 16.
• Lufthansa: Riyadh flights have been suspended until November 18. The airline planned to resume Munich-Dubai services on October 25 and Frankfurt-Dubai services on October 26, subject to operational conditions.
• British Airways: The airline has announced plans to resume Dubai flights on November 3, Riyadh flights on November 3 and Amman flights on November 4. Abu Dhabi services are not expected to return until winter 2027-28, while Bahrain flights are not scheduled to resume until the end of March 2027. The airline is also permanently dropping its London-Jeddah route.
• Cathay Pacific: Flights to and from Dubai and Riyadh have been cancelled until January 31, 2027. Affected passengers may be eligible for rebooking, rerouting or refunds under the airline's ticket-waiver policy.
• Finnair: Dubai-Helsinki flights have been suspended until March 27, 2027. Doha services have also been suspended, with no specific resumption date provided in the update.
• Air Canada: Flights to Dubai and Tel Aviv have been suspended until the end of March 2027.
• Singapore Airlines: Flights between Singapore and Dubai have been suspended until December 1. Its budget subsidiary, Scoot, has suspended services to Jeddah until December 2.
• Korean Air: The Incheon-Dubai route remains suspended until further notice.
• Japan Airlines: Tokyo-Doha flights remain cancelled until the airline is satisfied that sufficient safety measures are in place.
• Pegasus Airlines: The Turkish low-cost carrier has suspended flights to Abu Dhabi, Amman, Bahrain, Beirut, Dammam, Doha, Dubai, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Riyadh and Sharjah.
• Iran Air: Flights between Tehran Imam Khomeini International Airport and the UAE have been cancelled indefinitely following the UAE's suspension of Iranian airline operations.

Other carriers have also adjusted services. Kuwait Airways has temporarily suspended flights to Riyadh and warned of short-notice schedule changes. Jazeera Airways continues to operate selected destinations, including Delhi, Mumbai and Kochi, but has warned that some flights, particularly those serving Saudi Arabia, may be disrupted. Turkish Airlines has restored its four-daily-flight schedule between Dubai and Istanbul and increased Abu Dhabi services to seven flights a week. Air Astana has resumed Dubai services, while its Riyadh and Jeddah routes have been affected.

Why airport reopenings are not enough to restore flights

The situation is complicated by differences in airspace restrictions across the region. The UAE and Qatar have announced the resumption of air traffic, while Iraq and Israel have reopened their airspace. Kuwait and Bahrain also have open airspace, although disruptions and intermittent restrictions remain possible. Iran has partially reopened its airspace, allowing transit through eastern routes.

Also Read: Air India, Air India Express extend Riyadh flight cancellations amid rising Saudi Arabia tensions

Saudi Arabian airspace remains vulnerable to disruption from intermittent missile strikes attributed to Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis. Separately, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency has renewed its conflict-zone advisory, urging airlines to avoid airspace over the waters of the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar until November 16.

Passengers travelling to, from or through the Middle East should check their flight status directly with the airline before leaving for the airport. They should also monitor booking notifications, confirm connecting flights and review the conditions for refunds or rebooking.