flydubai extends Saudi cancellations to 29 October

flydubai has cancelled its flights to Riyadh, Dammam and Abha up to and including Thursday 29 October, citing the current situation. The airline says it anticipates changes to its Saudi schedule, will announce them through its official channels and asks passengers to keep their contact details up to date; its Jeddah, Madinah, Gassim and Tabuk flights were listed as scheduled on 24 October. Emirates has suspended its Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam flights through 25 October, according to The National's survey of 23 October; Gulf News's list of 24 October shows every Emirates Dubai flight to Dammam, Jeddah and Riyadh as cancelled, the Dubai to Madinah departures EK807, EK2537 and EK809 as scheduled and the returning Madinah to Dubai flights as cancelled.

Etihad's Abu Dhabi flights to Riyadh and Dammam, and its EY601 to EY604 Jeddah services, remain cancelled through 5 November, and Air Arabia's Sharjah flights to Riyadh, Dammam and Abha are cancelled with no resumption date. Early on Saturday 24 October, Saudi air defences intercepted a ballistic missile aimed at Riyadh and a drone over the Eastern Province, the Saudi-led coalition said, with no casualties reported, and Arab News reported Civil Defence warnings for Jeddah, Yanbu, Taif and Makkah later in the day, lifted shortly afterwards, after two missiles aimed at Taif and Yanbu were intercepted. Routing through Doha or Muscat is no alternative for now: Qatar Airways' Riyadh and Dammam flights are cancelled through 24 October, and Oman Air's Riyadh flights and SalamAir's Riyadh and Dammam flights through 31 October.

Residents travelling for Umrah should confirm their flight to Jeddah or Madinah with the airline before leaving for the airport.