Travel Desk
Etihad and Qatar Airways suspend flights to Saudi cities
Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways have temporarily suspended flights to Saudi Arabian cities citing regional instability and ongoing conflict.
Qatar Airways has temporarily suspended flights to and from Riyadh and Dammam, and Etihad Airways said it cancelled flights between Abu Dhabi and the Saudi cities of Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam, citing “regional disruption”. All Etihad flights between Abu Dhabi and Riyadh are suspended until 19 October, and several services to Jeddah and Dammam were suspended for a few days, APA news agency reported. The suspensions come amid escalating fighting between Yemen’s Houthis and Saudi Arabia.
Qatar Routes Temporarily Halted
“Due to the current situation, flights to and from Riyadh and Dammam are temporarily suspended,” Qatar Airways said in an updated travel advisory on 12 October.
The airline urged passengers to check their flight status on its official website or mobile app, said further updates would be posted on its website, and did not say when the services would resume.
Why the Flights Were Suspended
Houthi forces have targeted several airports in Saudi Arabia, including King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh and King Fahd International Airport near Dammam. Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation said Riyadh airport was attacked on Saturday, 10 October 2026, forcing operations there to be suspended, and on 12 October said it had extended the suspension.
Fighting between Yemen’s Ansar Allah movement, also known as the Houthis, and Saudi-backed government forces resumed in mid-July 2026 after a four-year hiatus.
