UAE airlines hold Saudi dates after Eastern Province attack

Saudi air defences intercepted three ballistic missiles aimed at the Eastern Province early on 27 October, and UAE airlines keep their Saudi dates unchanged: Emirates Jeddah from 30 October, flydubai Riyadh, Dammam and Abha from 30 October and Etihad cancellations to 5 November. The Saudi-led coalition said the three missiles were destroyed and that four drones launched towards the southern region were also intercepted; Civil Defence issued warnings for the Eastern Province and Al Kharj at about 3am and gave the all-clear soon afterwards, with no casualties or damage reported, according to Arab News and the Reuters and Anadolu reports carried by The Express Tribune. Overnight the coalition had reported destroying three drones over the Riyadh region and the south.

The Houthis said they had attacked the Ras Tanura refinery; Bloomberg reported that a fire near the Ras Tanura export terminal was contained, with the extent of any damage unclear, and Saudi Arabia did not comment. In the afternoon Gulf News reported a further coalition statement that two ballistic missiles launched towards Riyadh had been intercepted, with no details of casualties or damage. Saudi, Turkish and Pakistani representatives of the Makkah defence agreement met Iranian officials in Tehran on 26 October and agreed to continue talks.

For 27 October, Gulf News lists every Emirates flight between Dubai and Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam as cancelled while its four Madinah services operate; Etihad's Abu Dhabi flights to Riyadh and Dammam and its EY601 to EY604 Jeddah services remain cancelled through 5 November, and the airline says further changes are possible; flydubai's Riyadh, Dammam and Abha flights are cancelled through 29 October, and Gulf News found no status on its website for several other Saudi routes; and Air Arabia's Sharjah flights to Riyadh, Dammam, Abha and Jizan are cancelled with no date. Six flynas arrivals from Riyadh and one from Gassim, and flydubai's FZ8272 from Jeddah, were cancelled at Dubai. Among European airlines, Lufthansa Group's Riyadh flights stay suspended to 18 November and Dammam to 30 November, British Airways plans one daily Riyadh flight from 3 November and Eurowings' Jeddah service is due on 12 November.

Gulf News's briefing of 27 October gives Emirates' dates as 30 October for Jeddah and 8 November for Riyadh and Dammam and advises residents to check the whole itinerary, including connections, with the airline. Residents travelling for Umrah should confirm their flight to Jeddah or Madinah before leaving for the airport, and anyone booked to Riyadh on a Saudi airline should ask whether the flight operates through Al Qassim or Dammam.