Hundreds Of Passengers Abandoned Around Saudi Arabia As Riyadh, Jeddah, And Dammam Delay 207 And Cancel 29 Flights, Disrupting Saudia, Qatar Airways, EgyptAir, And Others

Written By: Ryan Rashid

Ryan Rashid

Ryan Rashid writes news that people actually find and finish reading. Ryan has a knack for turning jargon-heavy updates into engaging journalism anyone can follow in under a minute. An English graduate from Calcutta University, he pairs sharp writing instincts with a solid grip on what makes a story travel online. He keeps a close eye on what's trending and what's about to, so stories land while they still matter. Underneath the fast pace, there's always solid research and clean editing holding it together.

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July 13, 2026 4:30 AM |

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Hundreds of travellers left stranded across Saudi Arabia today as King Khalid, King Abdulazaziz, and King Fahd International Airport recorded a combined 207 flight delays and 29 cancellations. The disruptions affected Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dammam, with King Khalid International Airport emerging as the country’s most disrupted airport after reporting 91 delays and 19 cancellations. Among airlines, Saudia was the worst-hit airline overall, followed by Flynas, flyadeal, Qatar Airways, and EgyptAir, with operational disruptions impacting hundreds of scheduled flights.

• King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah reported 63 delayed flights and 10 cancellations.
• King Fahd International Airport in Dammam recorded 53 delays.

Most Affected Saudi Arabian Airports

King Khalid International Airport

Located in Riyadh, King Khalid International Airport experienced the highest level of disruption today, July 13, recording 91 delayed flights and 19 cancellations. Saudia accounted for the largest number of cancellations, while Flynas, Saudia, and flyadeal recorded the highest delay totals, alongside disruptions affecting EgyptAir, Etihad Airways, and Qatar Airways.

King Abdulaziz International Airport

Serving Jeddah, King Abdulaziz International Airport reported 63 delays and 10 cancellations. Saudia again recorded the largest number of cancellations and delays, while flyadeal, Flynas, Qatar Airways, Gulf Air, and Air India Express also saw disrupted schedules.

King Fahd International Airport

In Dammam, King Fahd International Airport recorded 53 delayed flights without any cancellations. flyadeal experienced the highest number of delays at the airport, followed by Air India Express, IndiGo, Air Arabia, Flynas, EgyptAir, Qatar Airways, and Saudia.

Airlines Most Affected by Flight Cancellations and Delays

Saudia

Saudia experienced the highest level of disruption across the three airports, recording 35 delayed flights and 24 cancellations. The airline was the most affected carrier in both Riyadh and Jeddah.

Flynas

Flynas recorded 34 delayed flights, making it one of the busiest airlines impacted during the disruption. Most of its delays occurred at Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport.

flyadeal

flyadeal also accumulated 34 delays while recording five cancellations, making it the second-most affected airline in terms of cancellations and among the most delayed carriers overall.

Qatar Airways

Qatar Airways recorded 15 delayed flights across the affected airports, with disruptions spread between Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dammam.

EgyptAir

EgyptAir experienced 11 delayed flights, primarily concentrated at King Khalid International Airport and King Fahd International Airport.

Why Riyadh Often Sees the Biggest Share of Flight Disruptions

Riyadh is home to King Khalid International Airport, one of Saudi Arabia’s busiest aviation hubs, handling tens of millions of passengers each year and serving a large mix of domestic, international, and connecting flights. With such a high volume of daily aircraft movements, even relatively small operational disruptions can affect multiple departures and arrivals throughout the day. Higher traffic levels naturally increase the likelihood of delays and, in some cases, cancellations as airlines and airport operators work to keep schedules running efficiently.

What Can Affected Passengers Do?

• Check your airline’s latest flight status before leaving for the airport.
• Allow additional time for check-in and security in case operations remain busy.
• Monitor notifications from your airline for gate, schedule, or rebooking updates.
• Keep travel documents and booking details readily accessible.
• If your journey involves airports such as King Khalid International Airport, King Abdulaziz International Airport, or King Fahd International Airport, remain attentive to announcements and airline communications.
• Contact your airline directly if your flight has been significantly delayed or cancelled to discuss available travel options.

Learn More

Why Flights Are Being Cancelled And Delayed?

Flight schedules are disrupted by a wide range of factors. Aircraft rotation issues, airspace restrictions, crew scheduling adjustments, air traffic management requirements, maintenance activities, airport congestion, and changing operational priorities all contribute to delays or cancellations. Because airline networks are closely connected, disruptions affecting one flight can sometimes influence later departures throughout the day as carriers work to restore normal operations.

Overview of Flight Cancellations And Delays

The latest wave of disruptions affected passengers travelling through Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dammam, with King Khalid International Airport recording the highest number of delayed and cancelled flights among the three airports. Saudia emerged as the most affected airline overall, while Flynas, flyadeal, Qatar Airways, EgyptAir, and Air India Express also experienced notable operational challenges. Travelers passing through Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dammam may continue monitoring their airlines for schedule updates, as airlines including Saudia, Flynas, flyadeal, Qatar Airways, EgyptAir, and IndiGo continue operating extensive domestic and international networks through these key Saudi Arabian gateways.


Data Verification Notice

The Data is extensively curated by me with figures derived from Flightaware dated 12th July, 6:34 pm ET

Primary Source: Real-time data aggregated via FlightAware.

Verification Protocol: Statistics are cross-checked by our human editorial desk. Timestamped logs and feed snapshots are securely archived internally to maintain historical accuracy.

Note: Real-time tracking figures represent active airspace data and may experience minor variances from local airport terminal gates.