Over 1,305 Flight Cancellations and Delays Across Dubai, Riyadh, Cairo, Kuwait City, Doha, Amman, Bahrain, Sharjah, Muscat, and Jeddah as Saudia, Emirates, Gulf Air, Libyan Wings, FlyDubai, Qatar Airways, and More Disrupt Travel on Key Routes

Published on December 11, 2025

Over 1,310 flight delays and 7 cancellations across major Middle East airports today, with disruptions concentrated at Dubai International Airport (310 delays), Cairo International Airport (122 delays), King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah (199 delays), and Kuwait International Airport (115 delays). The most affected airlines included FlyDubai (145 delays), Saudia (142 delays, 1 cancellation), Qatar Airways (74 delays), Emirates (92 delays, 1 cancellation), and Egypt Air (63 delays). Other busy hubs such as King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh (132 delays), Hamad International Airport in Doha (100 delays), Sharjah International Airport (59 delays), Muscat International Airport (32 delays), Bahrain International Airport (28 delays), and Queen Alia International Airport in Amman (35 delays, 2 cancellations) also contributed heavily to the regional disruption. Gulf Air, Libyan Wings, Emirates, and Saudia accounted for the limited cancellations seen across the region. Overall, the scale of delays today significantly impacted travel flow at key transit airports such as Dubai, Cairo, Jeddah, Kuwait City, and Doha, covering both flagship and budget carriers.

• Updated Today: Middle East airports recorded 1,310 delays and 7 cancellations across more than a dozen hubs.
• Dubai International Airport remained the most disrupted airport with 310 delayed flights.
• FlyDubai, Saudia, Qatar Airways, and Emirates reported the highest number of delays among airlines.
• Cairo, Jeddah, Kuwait City, Riyadh, and Doha ranked among the most delay-heavy cities today.
• Libyan Wings, Gulf Air, Emirates, and Saudia were the only airlines with cancellations.
• Regional hubs in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Egypt saw compounded delays from domestic and inbound flights.
• Egypt Air, Air Cairo, Air Arabia, and flyadeal also contributed substantial delay volume.

Most Affected Middle East Airports by Cancellations and Delays

Dubai International Airport

Dubai posted 310 delays and 2 cancellations, the single highest disruption count in the region. Heavy delays from Emirates and FlyDubai were the primary drivers, alongside incoming delays from Tel Aviv, Cairo, and several European cities.

King Abdulaziz International Airport (Jeddah)

Jeddah reported 199 delays, mostly from Saudia, Flynas, and flyadeal. Significant inbound delays from Cairo, Riyadh, and Istanbul also heightened congestion.

Cairo International Airport

Cairo recorded 122 delays, driven by Egypt Air, Air Cairo, and Nile Air, alongside inbound disruption from Accra, Tunis, Frankfurt, Manchester, New York, and Barcelona.

Kuwait International Airport

Kuwait logged 115 delays, primarily affecting Jazeera Airways and Kuwait Airways. European, Saudi, and UAE routes also experienced elevated delay rates.

King Khalid International Airport (Riyadh)

Riyadh saw 132 delays and 1 cancellation, with Saudia, Flynas, and flyadeal contributing the most. Domestic disruptions from Jeddah, Madinah, and Dammam compounded local delays.

Airlines Most Affected by Cancellations

Libyan Wings

Faced 2 cancellations at Queen Alia International Airport in Amman, making it the most affected airline by cancellations today.

Emirates

Reported 1 cancellation at Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai, alongside heavy delays at Dubai International Airport and Bahrain International Airport.

Gulf Air

Recorded 1 cancellation at Bahrain International Airport, with an additional 17 delays contributing to local congestion.

Saudia

Experienced 1 cancellation at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, plus 142 delays across Jeddah, Riyadh, Madinah, and Dammam.

Royal Jordanian

While not reporting cancellations, its 17 delays made it one of the most affected regional carriers, significantly impacting operations at Amman.

How Travellers Were Impacted at Major Airports

• Travellers experienced extended wait times due to heavy operational backlogs at major hubs.
• Connection risks increased, especially for passengers routing through Dubai, Cairo, Jeddah, Kuwait City, and Doha.
• Rebooking options were limited for passengers affected by the few cancellations at Amman, Dubai (Al Maktoum), and Bahrain.
• Airlines advised travellers to monitor flight status frequently due to rapidly evolving departure boards.
• Passengers on routes from Europe, India, and North Africa faced elevated delays affecting onward travel.
• Baggage delivery and ground handling were slowed at key airports experiencing heavy delay clusters.
• Travellers were encouraged to arrive early and plan for potential schedule disruptions across the region.

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Overview of Middle East Flight Cancellations

Flight cancellations remained comparatively low today with only 7 cancellations reported across all airports, but the impact was still felt in major hubs. Libyan Wings, Emirates, Gulf Air, and Saudia were the airlines most affected by cancellations, with disruptions centered on Amman, Dubai (Al Maktoum), Bahrain, and Riyadh. Although cancellations were minimal, the scale of delays at cities like Dubai, Cairo, Jeddah, Kuwait City, and Doha amplified overall congestion. These airports — among the most affected in the Middle East — faced a ripple effect in connecting flights and inbound operations, intensifying pressure across the network.

While cancellations were limited, delay-heavy carriers such as FlyDubai, Saudia, Qatar Airways, Emirates, and Egypt Air shaped passenger experience throughout the day. Cities such as Dubai, Riyadh, Jeddah, and Cairo appeared repeatedly in the disruption charts, reinforcing their role as critical nodes in regional aviation where even small operational disturbances quickly escalate.

The Middle East aviation landscape today showed how limited cancellations can still coincide with widespread delays, especially when major airports — including Dubai, Cairo, Jeddah, Kuwait City, and Doha — are affected. Overall, the region experienced a challenging travel day marked by heavy congestion, extended wait times, and operational strain across both flagship and budget carriers.

Image Source: AI

Source: Different airports and FlightAware