Flights to and from Abha International Airport in Saudi Arabia were suspended for a fourth straight day on Friday, July 17, 2026, according to Gulf News: Latest UAE news, Dubai news, Business, travel news, Dubai Gold rate, prayer time, cinema. The airport remains partially operational for domestic routes linking Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, Medina, and Tabuk but continues to see cancellations on international services.
Abha Flight Suspensions Continue Amid Security Concerns
Scheduled international flights on the Dubai-Abha and Sharjah-Abha corridors operated by flydubai and Air Arabia remain cancelled. Passengers are advised to verify flight statuses before traveling, with some flights diverted to Taif. The suspensions result from recent
missile and drone attacks targeting Abha International Airport and surrounding areas near the Saudi-Yemen border, which have raised ongoing security risks.
Etihad Airways Faces Delays on Key Long-Haul Routes
Etihad Airways reported delays on its Abu Dhabi to Toronto Pearson International Airport flight EY21 on July 17, 2026, caused by operational issues. Consequently, the return flight EY22 from Toronto to Abu Dhabi also departed later than scheduled. The airline also experienced a technical delay on flight EY063 from Abu Dhabi to London Heathrow on July 16, alongside delays affecting services to Washington, US. Etihad has communicated apologetically to affected passengers and is coordinating support to minimize disruption.
International Travel Advisories and Health Requirements in Effect
Canada,
the United Kingdom, and the United States continue to warn travelers of the elevated risks near the Saudi-Yemen border, including potential missile and drone incidents. The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office updated its travel advice on July 2026, noting the region’s security remains unpredictable despite a recent US-Iran memorandum of understanding. British travelers are urged to monitor local developments and adhere to official guidance. Meanwhile, travelers departing the UAE for India must complete the Air Suvidha 2.0 digital health declaration form within 24 hours prior to arrival, a measure in response to the World Health Organization’s designation of the
Ebola/Bundibugyo outbreak in the DR Congo and Uganda as a public health emergency.
Regional and International Airline Adjustments
Several Gulf carriers continue to operate with adjustments. Emirates maintains service to 137 destinations worldwide without major cancellations; Qatar Airways is increasing daily flights between Doha and Dubai from two to five and will resume daily Doha-Philadelphia flights on August 1. flydubai has resumed scheduled flights to Aleppo and introduced additional service to Bangkok. Air Arabia is expanding operations from Sharjah, Abu Dhabi, and Ras Al Khaimah while adding European destinations like Rome and London Gatwick. Saudia has partially resumed limited daily services to Dubai, Abu Dhabi,
and Amman. Gulf Air, Oman Air, SalamAir, Kuwait Airways, Jazeera Airways, and flynas continue operating with periodic schedule adjustments amid regional uncertainties.
Several international carriers have suspended or curtailed Gulf region operations. Air Astana suspended UAE flights beginning July 13 citing regional escalation; Air Canada’s Dubai and Tel Aviv routes remain suspended through October 24, 2026; KLM flights to Dubai, Riyadh, and Dammam are suspended until August 23; Lufthansa Group suspends Dubai services through September 13 and other Middle East hubs until October 24; Singapore Airlines has cancelled Singapore-Dubai flights until October 24; Cathay Pacific suspended Dubai and Riyadh services
through August 31; Philippine Airlines Manila-Dubai flights are suspended until October 2. British Airways extended flexible booking policies until October 31, 2026, allowing full refunds or rebooking without fees on tickets issued by April 1 for Middle East destinations including Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha, Bahrain, Amman, Tel Aviv, Jeddah, and Riyadh.
