Hundreds Of Passengers Grounded Around The Middle East As Saudi Arabia, Egypt, UAE, Türkiye, And Kuwait Cancel 29 And Delay 517 Flights, Disrupting Emirates, Saudia, Etihad, Pegasus Airlines And Others In Dubai, Riyadh, Cairo, Istanbul And More

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Hundreds of passengers were stranded in the Middle East today as flight disruptions intensified, with 517 delays and 29 cancellations across Saudi Arabia, Egypt, UAE, Türkiye, and Kuwait. Airports impacted included Dubai (6 cancellations, 64 delays), Abu Dhabi (4, 66), Riyadh – King Khalid (3, 87), Jeddah – King Abdulaziz (7, 92), Cairo (4, 138), Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen (2, 70), and Kuwait (3, 0).
The most affected airlines across these key hubs included Saudia (7 cancellations, 75 delays — highest disruption at Jeddah), Egypt Air (4 cancellations, 54 delays — highest at Cairo), Etihad Airways (2 cancellations, 56 delays — highest at Abu Dhabi), FlyDubai (6 cancellations, 11 delays — highest at Dubai), Pegasus Airlines (0 cancellations, 45 delays — highest at Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen), and Emirates (50 delays — highest at Dubai).
Other widely recognized carriers such as Turkish Airlines, IndiGo, Air India, Flynas, flyadeal, Air Arabia Abu Dhabi, Kuwait Airways Corporation, and Royal Jordanian also faced operational disruptions across these hubs amid operational challenges.
The disruptions impacted key aviation cities including Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Riyadh, Jeddah, Cairo, Istanbul, and Kuwait City, spanning countries such as the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Türkiye, and Kuwait.

• Updated today: A total of 517 flight delays and 29 cancellations were recorded across seven major airports in the Middle East.
• Cairo recorded the highest delays (138), making it the most impacted airport overall.
• Jeddah saw the highest cancellations (7) among all affected airports.
• Saudia emerged as the most impacted airline overall, leading in both delays and cancellations.
• Etihad Airways dominated delays at Abu Dhabi, contributing 56 delays alone.
• Dubai and Abu Dhabi combined accounted for 130 delays and 10 cancellations, showing sustained disruption in the UAE.
• Kuwait was the only airport with zero delays, but still recorded cancellations.
• Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen disruptions were delay-heavy, led by Pegasus Airlines.

Most Affected Airports

Cairo International Airport

Cairo recorded the highest number of delays (138) in the Middle East, with additional cancellations impacting operations. Egypt Air alone contributed a major share, making Cairo the most disrupted hub overall.

King Abdulaziz International Airport (Jeddah)

Jeddah saw the highest cancellations (7) alongside 92 delays, driven largely by Saudia and supported by Flynas and flyadeal disruptions.

King Khalid International Airport (Riyadh)

Riyadh experienced 87 delays and 3 cancellations, with Saudia, Flynas, and flyadeal contributing significantly to operational slowdowns.

Abu Dhabi International Airport

Abu Dhabi recorded 66 delays and 4 cancellations, heavily influenced by Etihad Airways, which dominated delay figures at this hub.

Dubai International Airport

Dubai saw 64 delays and 6 cancellations, with FlyDubai responsible for all cancellations and Emirates contributing the majority of delays.

Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport

Istanbul reported 70 delays and 2 cancellations, largely driven by Pegasus Airlines, with additional contributions from Turkish Airlines and AJet.

Kuwait International Airport

Kuwait recorded 3 cancellations and no delays, making it the least delay-affected airport but still impacted operationally.

Airlines Most Affected by Flight Cancellations and Delays

Saudia

Saudia recorded the highest combined disruption in Saudi Arabia, with 7 cancellations and 75 delays, particularly concentrated at Jeddah and Riyadh, making it the most affected airline overall.

Egypt Air

Egypt Air faced 4 cancellations and 54 delays, with the majority of disruptions occurring at Cairo, where it dominated delay figures.

Etihad Airways

Etihad Airways saw 2 cancellations and 56 delays, primarily centered at Abu Dhabi, where it accounted for the bulk of delays.

FlyDubai

FlyDubai recorded 6 cancellations and 11 delays, with all cancellations occurring at Dubai, making it a major contributor to disruption at the airport.

Pegasus Airlines

Pegasus Airlines experienced 45 delays, almost entirely concentrated at Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen, making it the leading contributor there.

Emirates

Emirates recorded 50 delays, primarily at Dubai, where it accounted for the majority of delay activity.

Flynas

Flynas contributed 54 delays across multiple airports, including Riyadh, Jeddah, and Cairo, making it a consistent mid-to-high level contributor.

What Can Impacted Passengers Do?

• Check real-time flight status through airline websites or airport portals before heading out
• Arrive early at the airport to account for possible delays
• Stay in contact with airline customer support for rebooking options
• Keep essential items (documents, medications, chargers) in carry-on luggage
• Monitor announcements for gate changes or schedule updates
• Consider flexible travel plans where possible

Learn More

Overview of Flight Cancellations

Flight cancellations in the Middle East were distributed across key hubs including Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Riyadh, Jeddah, Cairo, Istanbul, and Kuwait City, affecting operations across the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Türkiye, and Kuwait.
Major airlines such as Saudia, Egypt Air, Etihad Airways, FlyDubai, Emirates, and Pegasus Airlines were among the most impacted, with repeated disruptions observed at Cairo, Jeddah, Riyadh, and Dubai, which appeared multiple times as the most affected cities.
Jeddah and Dubai saw concentrated cancellation activity, while Cairo and Riyadh experienced broader operational strain due to high delay volumes. Meanwhile, Istanbul and Kuwait City contributed smaller but notable disruption figures within the regional network.
Overall, the widespread nature of cancellations and delays in the Middle East across Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Riyadh, Jeddah, Cairo, Istanbul, and Kuwait City highlights ongoing operational challenges across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Türkiye, and Kuwait, affecting both regional and international connectivity.

Source: Different airports and FlightAware