Cancellation of flights to Riyadh and Dammam: how it affected travel
Etihad extended the suspension of flights to Saudi cities until Nov 5, and flydubai and other airlines also cut services. What’s happening with flights from Russia and what advice carriers give.
Etihad and extension of flight cancellations
Etihad Airways announced that the cancellation of flights from Abu Dhabi to Riyadh and Dammam will continue until 5 Nov. The decision was taken on 23 Oct and is explained as “operational disruptions” that appeared after the Houthi strike on the passenger terminal on 12 Oct. Night flights EY601‑EY604 are also suspended for the same period.
Houthi attacks and their fallout
In October Yemeni Houthis stepped up strikes on civilian targets in Saudi Arabia, including airports. The attack on Dammam airport killed two people. Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport partially resumed operations on 25 Oct, but international connections remain disrupted.
How other carriers are responding
- flydubai: flights to Riyadh, Dammam and Abu Dhabi suspended until 29 Oct; resumption planned for 30 Oct.
- Emirates: resumes flights to Jeddah on 30 Oct, and to Riyadh and Dammam on 8 Nov.
- Air Arabia: no return date announced yet.
Issues with Russian flydubai flights
Photo: by Valeria Drozdova on Pexels
According to Dubai airport’s briefing on 27 Oct, two flydubai flights from Russia were cancelled:
- FZ976 from Vnukovo;
- FZ992 from Pulkovo. The cancellation is not directly linked to the Saudi closure. Passengers from Yekaterinburg and Minsk arrived in Dubai with delays.
The Pulkovo case
The flight from St Petersburg was scheduled for 26 Oct at 23:25, but was moved several times because of an aircraft fault. Passengers were put up in a hotel, and a new time was set – 10:00 on 28 Oct. One passenger said her luggage was not returned and nobody contacted her.
Incident at Vnukovo
Since 26 Oct a flydubai Boeing 737 MAX has been at Vnukovo. According to the Telegram channel “Aviatorshchina”, during take‑off in Dubai the left main landing‑gear tire tread broke, and debris damaged the flaps.
What airlines recommend
flydubai advises checking the flight status on the official website or mobile app before heading to the airport. Check‑in closes 60 minutes before departure, so plan your arrival accordingly.
Bottom line
The cancellation of flights to Saudi cities has hit both major international carriers and Russian‑origin flights. Passengers should keep a close eye on updates and be ready for possible schedule changes.
Based on materials from: trn-news.ru.
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