Travelers stranded across Saudi Arabia, UAE and Kuwait as Saudia Grounds a Dozen of Flights with Multiple Delays in Riyadh, Dubai, Kuwait City and more, New Update

Published on December 4, 2025

An operational crisis hit the Middle East travel sector starting on 3rd and continuing on 4th December, 2025. Specifically, Saudia, Saudi Arabia’s national flag carrier, experienced severe flight disruptions. These issues stranded travelers across several key nations. Data confirms the airline cancelled 12 scheduled flights and delayed an additional 92 services. This widespread operational failure heavily impacted major regional hubs. Therefore, many passengers faced frustrating uncertainty. The effects rippled across the Gulf. Significant delays were reported in key cities like Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam within Saudi Arabia. Furthermore, international gateways in the UAE (Dubai) and Kuwait (Kuwait City) were also severely affected. Even domestic routes, including the connection to Sakākā, felt the strain. Consequently, travelers must now navigate a complex web of rebookings and long waits. This report will detail the full scope of Saudia’s operational challenges.

A Breakdown of the Affected Flights

Analysis of the flight manifest reveals that both domestic and regional international routes were severely compromised. High-volume inter-city travel within Saudi Arabia was particularly affected, with multiple services between the crucial hubs of King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, King Fahd International Airport in Dammam and King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh being disrupted. International services connecting the Kingdom to neighboring Gulf nations were also impacted. Specifically, the route between Kuwait International Airport in Kuwait City and Jeddah was affected, as were the services between Riyadh and Dubai International Airport in the UAE. A key domestic link, the service between al-Jouf Domestic Airport in Sakākā and Riyadh, was also observed to be among the disrupted flights, highlighting the operational strain across the carrier’s network in Saudi Arabia.

Delays

The operational disruption was significantly characterized by a high volume of flight delays. A staggering 92 flights were subjected to delays across the network. This figure translates to a 14% delay rate among the monitored operations. This substantial percentage indicates that a considerable portion of Saudia’s services failed to depart or arrive on schedule.

Affected Airports

The operational challenges were localized across several key airports, impacting regional air traffic flow across three nations:

Probable Impact on Local Tourism

The operational turmoil is expected to have a probable, although unquantified, impact on the local tourism and business sectors of the affected cities. For Jeddah, a crucial gateway for pilgrims, delays and cancellations may impede the flow of religious tourism. Riyadh, as the business and political center of Saudi Arabia, relies heavily on punctual travel for corporate movements; the reported delays could compromise scheduled business engagements. Similarly, Dubai in the UAE, a major global tourism hub, could see its reputation for logistical efficiency tested by the delayed arrival of services from Riyadh. In Kuwait City, the disrupted links with Saudi Arabia may affect short-term regional business travel and tourism flows between the two nations. The overall uncertainty caused by the cancellations may lead to challenges for the local hospitality and transportation industries in cities like Dammam and Sakākā.

What Affected Passengers Can Do Now

Affected passengers are strongly advised to contact Saudia‘s customer service channels immediately to manage their reservations. Under the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) regulations in Saudi Arabia, passengers whose flights are cancelled or delayed beyond a specified threshold are entitled to certain care and support services. Options such as rebooking onto the next available flight or receiving a full refund for the unused portion of the ticket should be explored. For extended delays, especially those exceeding six hours, accommodations and meals must be provided by the airline. Affected travelers in Kuwait City, Dubai and the major hubs of Jeddah, Riyadh and Dammam are encouraged to be proactive in seeking rebooking or compensation as per the applicable passenger rights regulations.

-The information provided is sourced from FlightAware.