Flights Cancelled Over Middle East As Abu Dhabi, Riyadh, And More Major Airports Cancel 77 And Delay 749, Impacting Travel

Flight cancellations intensified in the Middle East today, with 749 delays and 77 cancellations across Saudi Arabia, UAE, Oman, Qatar, and Iran, impacting Abu Dhabi, Seeb, Gizan, Najran, Hamad, Sharjah, Dubai, Imam Khomeini, King Khalid, Abha, and King Abdulaziz.
Among the airlines most affected by delays were Saudia with 120, Flynas with 93, Etihad Airways with 80, Qatar Airways with 70, FlyDubai with 50, and Emirates with 46. Saudia faced by far the highest cancellations, recording 36.

Key Flight Disruption Figures at a Glance

• King Abdulaziz recorded the highest number of delays at 212.
• Saudia had the highest airline delay total with 120 delays.
• Saudia also recorded the highest cancellation total with 36 cancellations.
• Dubai registered 158 delays and nine cancellations.
• Abu Dhabi recorded 96 delays and two cancellations.
• Hamad recorded 91 delays and one cancellation.
• King Khalid saw 110 delays and 13 cancellations.

Airports Seeing the Highest Number of Flight Delays and Cancellations

King Abdulaziz

King Abdulaziz in Jeddah recorded 212 delays and 14 cancellations, making it the busiest airport by delay volume. Saudia accounted for 73 delays and nine cancellations, while Flynas recorded 46 delays. For flights originating at the airport, the cancellation rate was 1% and the delay rate was 26%, while for destination flights, the cancellation rate was 1% and the delay rate was 26%.

Dubai

Dubai recorded 158 delays and nine cancellations. FlyDubai had 48 delayed flights and two cancellations, while Emirates recorded 46 delays. SpiceJet registered 14 delays and four cancellations. For flights originating at the airport, the delay rate was 13%, while for destination flights, the delay rate was 17%.

King Khalid

King Khalid in Riyadh registered 110 delays and 13 cancellations. Saudia recorded 34 delays and 11 cancellations, while Flynas reported 41 delays. Regent Airways added two cancellations. For flights originating at the airport, the cancellation rate was 1% and the delay rate was 13%, while for destination flights, the cancellation rate was 1% and the delay rate was 14%.

Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi recorded 96 delays and two cancellations. Etihad Airways accounted for 76 delays, while Air India Express recorded seven. Both cancellations were associated with Oman Air.

Hamad

Hamad in Doha recorded 91 delays and one cancellation. Qatar Airways recorded 70 delays and one cancellation, making it the largest contributor at the Doha airport. Egypt Air recorded three delays, while Air India Express, FlyDubai, IndiGo, and Flynas each recorded two delays.

Sharjah

Sharjah recorded 39 delays and five cancellations. Air Arabia accounted for 33 delays and two cancellations, while Pakistan International Airlines recorded three cancellations. Air India Express added four delays. For flights originating at the airport, the cancellation rate was 1% and the delay rate was 15%, while for destination flights, the cancellation rate was 1% and the delay rate was 9%.

Seeb

Seeb in Muscat recorded 21 delays and five cancellations. Oman Air recorded 10 delays and two cancellations, while Pakistan International Airlines recorded two cancellations. US-Bangla Airlines had one cancellation. For flights originating at the airport, the cancellation rate was 2% and the delay rate was 6%, while for destination flights, the cancellation rate was 1% and the delay rate was 11%.

Abha

Abha recorded 15 delays and 13 cancellations. Saudia accounted for eight delays and eight cancellations, while Flynas recorded four delays. FlyDubai, Air Arabia, and Qatar Airways each had cancellations. For flights originating at the airport, the cancellation rate was 11% and the delay rate was 20%, while for destination flights, the cancellation rate was 13% and the delay rate was 7%.

Airlines Recording the Highest Flight Disruptions

Saudia

Saudia recorded 120 delays and 36 cancellations across the airports. Its highest delay figure came at King Abdulaziz, where 73 flights were delayed, while its highest cancellation figure was at King Khalid, with 11 cancellations.

Flynas

Flynas recorded 93 delays and no cancellations. Its largest delay totals came from King Abdulaziz with 46 and King Khalid with 41. It also recorded four delays at Abha.

Etihad Airways

Etihad Airways recorded 80 delays and no cancellations. The majority came at Abu Dhabi, where 76 flights were delayed, with another four delays at King Abdulaziz.

Qatar Airways

Qatar Airways recorded 70 delays and one cancellation. The airline’s 70 delays were reported at Hamad, while its cancellation came at the same airport.

FlyDubai

FlyDubai recorded 50 delays and four cancellations. It had 48 delays and two cancellations at Dubai, plus two delays at Hamad and two cancellations at Abha.

Emirates

Emirates recorded 46 delays at Dubai, with no cancellations reported in the figures.

Pakistan International Airlines

Pakistan International Airlines recorded seven cancellations across Seeb, Sharjah, and Dubai, with two cancellations at Seeb, three at Sharjah, and two at Dubai.

Mahan Air

Mahan Air recorded seven cancellations at Imam Khomeini in Tehran, alongside one delay.

What Should Passengers Do When Flights Are Cancelled?

• Check the airline’s latest flight status before travelling to the airport.
• Contact the airline to ask about rebooking or an alternative service.
• Review whether the ticket conditions allow a refund or travel credit.
• Keep boarding passes, booking confirmations, and receipts for relevant expenses.
• Check connecting-flight arrangements after a cancellation.
• Allow additional travel time when operating conditions change.

Factors Behind Flight Cancellations Across the Middle East

Flight cancellations in the Middle East can result from a combination of operational circumstances. These may include aircraft availability, crew scheduling, airport capacity, air traffic management, weather conditions, maintenance requirements, and changes to airline schedules.

Busy hubs such as Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha, and Riyadh can also experience changes in operating patterns when multiple services are being handled within a concentrated period. Airlines may adjust individual flights when aircraft rotations, crew availability, or connecting schedules change.

What the Latest Middle East Flight Figures Show

The latest Middle East flight figures show that delays were considerably more numerous than cancellations, with 749 delays compared with 77 cancellations across the airports.

King Abdulaziz in Jeddah accounted for 212 delays, while Dubai recorded 158. King Khalid in Riyadh added 110, followed by Abu Dhabi with 96 and Hamad in Doha with 91.

Among major carriers, Saudia, Flynas, Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways, FlyDubai, and Emirates accounted for a substantial share of delays. Saudia also recorded 36 cancellations, substantially above the other airlines.

The cancellation figures were more concentrated than the delay figures. Pakistan International Airlines recorded seven cancellations, matching Mahan Air, while Oman Air, FlyDubai, Regent Airways, and Air Arabia each recorded four.

For passengers travelling through Dubai, Jeddah, Riyadh, Abu Dhabi, and Doha, checking flight status close to departure remains important as schedules can change during the operating day. The figures from the Middle East also show how delays can affect major connecting hubs even when cancellation totals remain comparatively limited.

The data has been extensively curated by our editorial team using real-time aviation figures recorded on 16 September 2026 at 3:45 pm ET USA (17 September 1:15 am IST)

Primary Source: FlightAware.

Verification Protocol: All statistics have been independently reviewed and cross-checked by our human editorial desk. Timestamped records, data logs and feed snapshots are securely archived internally to support historical accuracy and editorial transparency.

Note: Real-time flight-tracking figures reflect active airspace and operational data. Minor variations may occur when compared with information displayed at individual airport terminals or airline departure gates.

Travelers are advised to check directly with their respective airlines and airports for the latest flight status, schedule changes and operational updates. 

Verified by Somudranil Sarkar