Hundreds Of Passengers Disrupted Across Middle East As Dubai, Cairo, And More Airports Face 59 Cancellations And 871 Delays, Affecting Air Travel

Written By: Ryan Rashid

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September 10, 2026 01:05 GMT+5:30

Travelers across the Middle East are facing a busy day of flight disruptions, with 871 delays and 59 cancellations recorded across major airports in Egypt, Qatar, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia.
The disruption picture stretches across Cairo, Doha, Muscat, Abu Dhabi, Gizan, Abha, Jeddah, Dubai, and Riyadh, leaving passengers with potential changes to departure times, connections and onward travel plans.
Among the airlines facing the greatest pressure are Qatar Airways, Saudia, Etihad Airways, Flynas, FlyDubai, and Emirates. Saudia is also facing the highest number of cancellations, while Qatar Airways is seeing the heaviest delay count.

• Qatar Airways is facing the heaviest delay pressure, with 97 delays across Doha and Muscat.
• Saudia is facing 88 delays and the highest cancellation figure at 39.
• Etihad Airways is seeing 86 delays, largely connected to operations at Abu Dhabi.
• Flynas and FlyDubai are each facing 75 delays.
• Emirates is seeing 72 delays at Dubai.
• King Khalid in Riyadh has recorded 104 delays and 14 cancellations.
• Dubai is seeing 202 delays and 10 cancellations, the highest delay total.
• Gizan and Abha are each seeing 8 cancellations, with Saudia particularly affected at both locations.

Airports Seeing the Greatest Passenger Disruption

Dubai

Travelers using Dubai are facing the highest delay pressure among the airports, with 202 delays and 10 cancellations. Emirates is seeing 72 delayed flights, while FlyDubai is facing 69 delays. Other affected carriers include SpiceJet, Saudia, Airblue, Air France, and Air India Express. The airport’s origin traffic recorded a 1% cancellation rate and a 20% delay rate, while destination traffic recorded a 17% delay rate.

Cairo

Passengers traveling through Cairo are encountering 157 delays and 2 cancellations. EgyptAir is facing 67 delays and both cancellations recorded at the airport, while Air Cairo is seeing 23 delays and Nile Air 20.

Jeddah

Travelers passing through Jeddah are seeing 134 delays and 11 cancellations. Saudia is facing 42 delays and 8 cancellations, while Garuda Indonesia has 2 cancellations. Flynas is also facing 17 delays, adding to the pressure on passengers using the hub. The airport’s origin traffic recorded a 1% cancellation rate and a 16% delay rate, while destination traffic recorded a 1% cancellation rate and a 16% delay rate.

Doha

Passengers at Doha are facing 114 delays and 2 cancellations. Qatar Airways accounts for 95 delays, while Pegasus Airlines is facing both cancellations recorded at the airport.

Riyadh

Travelers using Riyadh are encountering 104 delays and 14 cancellations. Saudia is facing 29 delays and all 14 cancellations recorded there, while Flynas is facing 37 delays and flyadeal 21. The airport’s origin traffic recorded a 1% cancellation rate and a 10% delay rate, while destination traffic recorded a 1% cancellation rate and a 16% delay rate.

Abu Dhabi

Passengers at Abu Dhabi are seeing 98 delays and 2 cancellations. Etihad Airways is facing 81 delays, while Oman Air accounts for both cancellations recorded at the airport.

Abha

Travelers through Abha are facing 37 delays and 8 cancellations. Saudia is responsible for all 8 cancellations and is also facing 8 delays, while Flynas is seeing 15 delays. The airport’s origin traffic recorded a 7% cancellation rate and a 46% delay rate, while destination traffic recorded a 7% cancellation rate and a 21% delay rate.

Muscat

Passengers at Muscat are seeing 25 delays and 2 cancellations. Oman Air is facing 10 delays and both cancellations, while Air India Express is facing 4 delays.

Airlines Facing the Most Pressure From Delays and Cancellations

Qatar Airways

Qatar Airways is seeing the heaviest delay pressure, with 97 delays across Doha and Muscat. The carrier is seeing 95 delays at Doha and another 2 at Muscat.

Saudia

Saudia is facing a particularly high level of disruption, with 88 delays and 39 cancellations across several airports. The carrier is seeing cancellations at Gizan, Abha, Jeddah, Dubai, and Riyadh, with Riyadh accounting for 14.

Etihad Airways

Etihad Airways recorded 86 delays across the airports. The largest share is at Abu Dhabi, where 81 delayed flights are affecting passengers, alongside further delays at Muscat and Riyadh.

Flynas

Flynas IS facing 75 delays across Cairo, Abha, Jeddah, and Riyadh. Riyadh is the largest point of disruption for the carrier, with 37 delays.

FlyDubai

FlyDubai recorded 75 delays across Doha, Abha, and Dubai. The largest concentration is at Dubai, where the airline is seeing 69 delayed flights.

Emirates

Emirates is facing 72 delays at Dubai, making the carrier one of the most affected airlines in the region today.

Steps Passengers Can Take When a Flight Is Cancelled

• Check the airline’s latest flight status before leaving for the airport.
• Contact the airline to ask about rebooking options.
• Check whether an alternative departure is available on the same route.
• Allow additional time for airport and connection changes.
• Keep essential travel documents and booking information accessible.
• Ask the airline about applicable refund, rebooking or accommodation options.
• If traveling onward, check the status of connecting flights before departure.

Operational Factors Can Lead to Flight Cancellations Across the Region

Flight cancellations across the Middle East can result from a range of operational challenges. Aircraft availability, crew scheduling, airport capacity, air-traffic management, technical requirements, weather conditions and changes to incoming aircraft rotations can all affect whether a scheduled service operates on time.

A delay affecting an earlier flight can also influence later departures when the same aircraft or crew is required for another service. For passengers, this can mean that disruptions at one airport or on one route may have effects on subsequent flights.

What Today’s Numbers Mean for Middle East Air Travelers

The current pattern in the Middle East shows that disruption is being concentrated at several major travel hubs rather than affecting every airport equally. Dubai is facing the highest delay total at 202, followed by Cairo with 157, Jeddah with 134, Doha with 114, and Riyadh with 104.

For cancellations, Riyadh is seeing the highest figure at 14, followed by Jeddah with 11 and Dubai with 10. Gizan and Abha are each recording 8 cancellations, while Cairo, Doha, Muscat, and Abu Dhabi are each recording 2.

The airline picture is similarly concentrated. Qatar Airways is facing the greatest number of delays at 97, followed by Saudia at 88 and Etihad Airways at 86. Flynas and FlyDubai are each at 75, while Emirates is facing 72 delays.

For travelers moving through Dubai, Cairo, Jeddah, or Riyadh, checking the latest flight status remains particularly important as schedules can change during the day. Across the Middle East, passengers should also keep an eye on connecting flights and allow flexibility where possible.

Flight cancellations were also reported yesterday. Read our previous report here.

The data has been extensively curated by our editorial team using real-time aviation figures recorded on 9 September 2026 at 2:43 pm ET USA (12:13 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 Rana Pratap