Etihad Saudi flights stay grounded until October 24

Etihad Saudi flights will stay off the schedule until Saturday, October 24, after the UAE carrier pushed back its restart because of regional disruption.

The airline stopped all service between Abu Dhabi and both Riyadh and Dammam. Earlier, it had planned to resume them after October 18.

It also halted four Jeddah services, numbered EY601 to EY604, which cover trips in each direction.

Etihad Saudi flights: what changed

Under the previous notice, two Jeddah flights were set to run until October 18, and the other pair until October 19. Now all four stay grounded to October 24.

Etihad described the situation behind its Saudi flights as dynamic and said more changes are possible. It asked travellers to check flight status on etihad.com before they head to the airport.

The carrier said its crews are helping affected passengers book new journeys. It apologised for the trouble and named the safety of guests and staff as its first concern.

Etihad Saudi flights customers who need help can use the airline’s contact page, which gives local numbers, live chat and social media options.

Other airlines also cut Saudi services

Flydubai took a similar step. It cancelled flights to several Saudi destinations, among them Abha, Dammam and Riyadh, through October 24.

Those cancellations had earlier run to October 19. A spokesperson said the airline expects some disruption to its Saudi schedule.

Flydubai added that it follows events closely and will pass on updates through its official channels. It urged passengers to check their status often and keep contact details current.

The cancellations by UAE airlines began once King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh came under attack on October 10. According to the Saudi civil aviation authority, the strike killed 12 people and injured 309.

The authority later lengthened its suspension of operations at that airport following repeated attacks.

Etihad Saudi flights and the Gulf response

On Sunday in Bahrain, Gulf foreign ministers denounced the Houthi assaults on Saudi soil. They also backed the kingdom’s right to defend itself.

Bahrain’s foreign minister, Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, said the group “stand as one” with Saudi Arabia. He put the toll at King Khalid International Airport at 14 civilians dead and over 300 wounded.

He called the targeting of airports and civilians a flagrant breach of international law and the Chicago convention on civil aviation.

The ministers also discussed the escalation in the region, along with threats to shipping in the Gulf and the Red Sea.

Why flights to Saudi Arabia face disruption

Saudi aviation has endured heavy disruption since Houthi attacks on the kingdom intensified on October 8. A regional report counted over 4,000 flights scrapped or grounded by Thursday.

Riyadh was among the worst-hit cities, and trouble at its main airport spread to Dammam, Jeddah and other airports.

Saudi carriers and international airlines have both felt the impact, and passengers face delays and uncertainty.

For travellers, the Etihad Saudi flights notice means no direct service from Abu Dhabi to these cities for at least another week.