Hundreds of Travelers Impacted Around Middle East with 1,547 Delays and 487 Cancellations at Kuwait, Abu Dhabi and More Airports

Hundreds of travellers across the Middle East are facing widespread flight disruptions on 18th October, with 1,547 delays and 487 cancellations reported at major airports, including Kuwait, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Riyadh, Jeddah and more regional aviation hubs. The disruption follows heightened security concerns after Houthi missile and drone attacks on Saudi Arabia, which forced temporary airport closures and prompted international airlines to suspend services. Consequently, passengers are experiencing cancelled departures, disrupted connections and unexpected changes to their travel plans. Moreover, continuing airline restrictions and precautionary schedule adjustments have affected services linking Saudi Arabia with neighbouring countries in Gulf airports.

Reasons Behind the Middle East Flight Disruptions

1. Houthi Missile and Drone Attacks Are the Principal Cause of Saudi Arabia’s Aviation Crisis

The strongest documented explanation for Saudi Arabia’s unusually high cancellation figures is the continuing fallout from missile and drone attacks attributed to Yemen’s Houthi movement.

Reuters reported that Saudi aviation authorities suspended operations at Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport following attacks, extending the closure until 17 October to complete safety and operational-readiness procedures

Although the airport reopened on 18 October, numerous international airlines had not resumed normal operations. This provides a substantial explanation for the 225 cancellations reported at Riyadh on 19 October, although the precise causes of all 225 have not been individually confirmed.

2. International Airlines Have Extended Saudi Flight Suspensions

Airline suspensions are another directly documented contributor.

Air India and Air India Express have extended suspensions covering Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam until 24 October 2026, citing the prevailing security situation.

Other affected airlines include Etihad Airways, flydubai, Qatar Airways, Air Arabia and several European carriers. Some suspensions extend into November or beyond.

These restrictions help explain why disruptions continue at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah and King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, despite both airports remaining operational.

3. Dubai and Abu Dhabi Are Experiencing Knock-On Disruptions

The disruption has spread beyond Saudi Arabia because airlines operating between the Gulf states share aircraft rotations, crew schedules and connecting passenger flows.

Reporting from 18 October confirms cancellations and timetable changes affecting Emirates, Etihad Airways, flydubai and Air Arabia services linking the UAE with Saudi Arabia. Dubai Airport also recorded delays on routes unrelated to Saudi Arabia.

Therefore, Saudi-related flight suspensions explain some of the UAE disruption, but they cannot account for all 248 delays and 28 cancellations reported at Dubai International Airport.

4. Heavy Rainfall Has Created an Additional Weather Risk in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia’s National Centre for Meteorology issued red alerts for heavy rainfall affecting parts of the Makkah region, including Taif, for 18 October.

Such conditions can affect airport operations, particularly during thunderstorms, reduced visibility and ground-handling restrictions.

Which Middle East Airports Are Experiencing the Most Flight Cancellations?

Saudi Arabia accounts for the largest share of cancellations in the airport data.

King Khaled International Airport in Riyadh recorded 225 cancellations and six delays, making it the most severely affected airport for cancelled services. King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah followed with 93 cancellations and 124 delays.

King Fahd International Airport in Dammam reported 25 cancellations and 19 delays. Prince Mohammad Bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah recorded 11 cancellations and 39 delays.

Elsewhere, Abha reported six cancellations and eight delays, while Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz Regional Airport recorded seven cancellations and one delay. Taif registered six cancellations and two delays.

Prince Naif Bin Abdulaziz Airport recorded four cancellations and seven delays. Hail reported five cancellations without any delays, while Prince Abdulmohsin Bin Abdulaziz Airport registered two cancellations and no delays.

These figures demonstrate how cancellations extend beyond Saudi Arabia’s principal international gateways.

How Are Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha and Other Regional Airports Affected?

Dubai International Airport recorded 248 delays and 28 cancellations, placing it among the region’s most affected airports for delayed departures.

Sharjah International Airport reported 75 delays and four cancellations. Meanwhile, Zayed International Airport in Abu Dhabi registered 110 delays and two cancellations.

In Qatar, Hamad International Airport recorded 132 delays and 16 cancellations.

Bahrain International Airport experienced 20 delays and 10 cancellations, while Kuwait International Airport reported nine delays and two cancellations.

Elsewhere, Queen Alia International Airport in Jordan recorded 21 delays and 12 cancellations. Cairo International Airport in Egypt registered 74 delays and 12 cancellations.

The figures indicate that passengers travelling through Gulf aviation hubs face different levels of disruption, with delays particularly prominent in Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi.

Why Are Istanbul and Türkiye’s Airports Reporting Significant Delays?

Türkiye recorded some of the highest delay figures in the supplied dataset.

Istanbul Airport reported 362 delays and 13 cancellations, the highest delay count among all listed airports.

Sabiha Gökçen International Airport recorded 168 delays and one cancellation, while Antalya International Airport registered 122 delays and three cancellations.

Although these figures demonstrate substantial schedule disruption, the supplied data does not establish its underlying causes.

Which Airlines Are Most Affected by Middle East Flight Disruptions?

Saudi Arabian Airlines Face the Highest Cancellation Numbers

Saudia recorded 153 cancellations, representing 28% of its reported flights, alongside 57 delays, equivalent to 10%.

Flynas followed with 40 cancellations (15%) and 17 delays (6%). Meanwhile, flyadeal reported seven cancellations (3%) and 10 delays (5%).

Riyadh Air registered four cancellations, representing 13%, with no delays (0%).

Qatar Airways, Emirates and Turkish Airlines Report Heavy Delays

Turkish Airlines recorded 334 delays (20%) and 11 cancellations (reported as 0% after rounding).

Emirates registered 127 delays (24%) and two cancellations (0%), while Qatar Airways reported 114 delays (17%) and 14 cancellations (2%).

Air Arabia experienced 65 delays (26%) and four cancellations (1%).

EgyptAir recorded 34 delays (13%) and eight cancellations (3%). Gulf Air reported 13 delays (9%) and six cancellations (4%).

Royal Jordanian registered seven delays (5%) and seven cancellations (5%).

These airline figures show that some carriers face greater cancellation pressure, while others are primarily experiencing delays.

What Should Affected Passengers Do Now?

• Passengers travelling through affected Middle Eastern airports should check their flight status directly with their airline before leaving for the airport.
• Those facing cancellations should contact their airline to explore rebooking, alternative connections or refund options under the applicable ticket conditions and passenger rights rules.
• Travellers with connecting flights should confirm their entire itinerary, particularly when different airlines operate individual segments.
• Passengers should also retain booking confirmations, cancellation notifications and receipts for additional expenses. These documents may support insurance claims or reimbursement requests where eligible.

Data Verification Notice

The flight disruption data presented in this report has been carefully compiled and reviewed by our editorial team using real-time aviation records captured on 18 October 2026 at 3:58 pm ET (USA), corresponding to 11:58 pm GST.

Primary Sources: FlightAware and local correspondents.

Verification Process: Our editorial team has independently examined and cross-verified the reported statistics to ensure accuracy and reliability. Timestamped flight records, operational data logs and archived feed snapshots have been securely retained for historical reference, editorial accountability and transparency.

Important Note: Flight-tracking information reflects operational conditions at the time of data collection. As airline schedules and airport operations change continuously, minor differences may arise between these figures and the latest information published by airlines, airports or departure gate systems.

You can read our earlier reports of flight disruptions across Middle East airports. Click here.

Verified by Somudranil Sarkar