Flight disruptions across Saudi Arabia intensified on Monday with hundreds of cancellations reported at three of the kingdom’s busiest airports following a series of deadly attacks attributed to Yemen’s Houthi rebels.

Data from Flightradar24, reviewed by Gulf Business at approximately 5.30am Saudi time, showed 436 flights cancelled at Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport, equivalent to 64 per cent of scheduled services.

At Jeddah’s King Abdulaziz International Airport, 115 flights were listed as cancelled, representing 15 per cent of services, while Dammam’s King Fahd International Airport recorded 63 cancellations, or 27 per cent.

The figures followed widespread disruption on Sunday, when Riyadh recorded 655 cancellations, equivalent to 98 per cent of scheduled flights. This comes amid operations being temporarily suspended at the airport following an attack that killed 12 and injured 309 on Saturday.

Jeddah reported 158 cancellations and 393 delays, while Dammam recorded 58 cancellations and 115 delays.

Across the three airports, the tracking data showed 871 cancellation listings on Sunday and a further 614 for Monday. The airport-level figures may include some overlap for flights connecting the three hubs.

Umrah pilgrims caught in disruption

The disruption has also affected religious travel, with Umrah pilgrims among those caught in the attacks and subsequent flight cancellations.

Footage released by Saudi state television showed scores of pilgrims preparing to board flights at Riyadh airport on Saturday when a strike triggered panic inside the terminal.

Bangladesh’s expatriates’ welfare ministry said approximately 500 Bangladeshi passengers had been stranded in Riyadh following the attack.

Riyadh airport has faced repeated attacks in recent days, including a strike on Saturday that killed 13 people and injured more than 300.
A further attack on Sunday struck Terminal 4, killing one person and injuring 11 others, according to Saudi aviation authorities.

Dammam airport was also targeted on Sunday evening. Saudi authorities said damage assessments and safety inspections were under way.

UAE airlines extend cancellations

The disruption has spread to international airline networks, including services connecting Saudi Arabia with the UAE.

Etihad Airways has listed cancellations affecting selected flights between Abu Dhabi and Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam through Tuesday, October 13.

Emirates has also cancelled selected flights between Dubai and Saudi destinations, while flydubai has extended cancellations on its Riyadh routes until October 14.

Saudi Arabia’s consulate in Dubai has meanwhile arranged buses to transport Saudi citizens stranded in the UAE following the flight cancellations.

International carriers have also adjusted their schedules. Lufthansa Group previously announced the suspension of Riyadh flights through October 16, while several Indian airlines have cancelled services.

The US Federal Aviation Administration has issued a safety advisory urging US operators to exercise caution when flying to or over Saudi Arabia, citing military activity and potential interference with navigation systems. The advisory remains effective until December 10.

A fire broke out at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Sunday after an unidentified projectile struck Terminal 4, marking yet another attack on the Saudi capital’s main international airport.

The Saudi-led Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen said the projectile hit the passenger terminal, triggering a fire that emergency teams were responding to.

The coalition also reported that Saudi air defences had intercepted and destroyed a cruise missile in the vicinity of the airport.

Later on Sunday, Saudi Arabia’s General Authority for Civil Aviation (GACA) also confirmed the incident, saying the “assault resulted in injuries”. GACA added that a damage assessment is underway with the coordination of specialised authorities.

The latest incident comes just a day after a devastating missile attack on the same airport killed 12 people and injured 309 others, some critically.

GACA said Saturday’s fatalities included four Saudi citizens, two Bangladeshi nationals and one person each from the US, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Palestine and Sudan.

The authority said the wounded were receiving treatment at several hospitals, while assessments of damage to airport infrastructure were continuing.

Airport operations had already been suspended following Saturday’s attack, causing widespread disruption to flights serving Riyadh. The airport remained closed on Sunday as authorities dealt with the latest incident.

The latest attack follows a series of strikes targeting Saudi aviation infrastructure in recent days, including earlier attacks on King Khalid International Airport and Abha International Airport.

The Saudi-led coalition has blamed Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi group for the recent escalation and pledged to respond to attacks on civilian facilities.

The Houthis have also renewed warnings to international airlines and passengers against using Saudi airports and airspace, citing ongoing military operations.

However, the coalition had not identified who was responsible for Sunday’s projectile strike at the time of its initial announcement.

Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has launched a four-week trial of the Glydways automated transit system at Bluewaters, testing autonomous electric vehicles that operate on dedicated guideways separate from general traffic.

The trial will assess the vehicles’ technical and operational performance, safety and reliability, as well as opportunities to integrate the system with Dubai’s public transport network, RTA said.

Mattar Al Tayer, RTA’s director general and chairman of its board of executive directors, took a five-minute ride along the designated Bluewaters route, marking the start of trial operations.

The testing programme will examine the readiness of autonomous driving, sensing, communication and control systems. It will also evaluate the user experience, journey times, ease of use and management of vehicle movements, generating data to help assess opportunities for future expansion.

RTA is conducting the Bluewaters trial under a partnership agreement with Dubai Holding, covering the testing environment, infrastructure and operational support.

RTA and Glydways partnership

The initiative builds on an earlier cooperation agreement between RTA and Glydways to introduce an automated transit network intended to support public transport and improve connections between stations and passengers’ starting points or final destinations.

Al Tayer said the trial would assess the system’s ability to provide safe and reliable journeys and explore integration with the public transport network.

Each vehicle accommodates four to six passengers, operates at speeds of up to 50 km/h and offers a range of up to 250 km on a single battery charge, according to RTA.

The vehicles are equipped with 20 high-resolution LiDAR sensors, radar and high-definition cameras, which work with autonomous driving and artificial intelligence systems to monitor their surroundings and manage movement.

The system is designed for round-the-clock, on-demand travel directly between departure and arrival points. Its narrow, dedicated guideways can be built at ground level or elevated.

RTA said the system offers capacity of more than 20,000 passengers an hour across both directions, with capital costs up to 90 per cent lower and operating costs up to 70 per cent lower than similar transport modes. The announcement did not provide the basis for those comparisons or performance results from the Bluewaters trial.

Routes under study include a 2.8 km connection between National Paints Metro Station and Bluewaters, alongside routes serving Jumeirah Village Circle, Dubai Festival City, Business Bay and Mohammed Bin Rashid City.

The proposed routes are intended to improve connections between Dubai Metro and residential, commercial and tourist destinations.

The announcement did not specify fares, whether members of the public could participate in the trial, or a date for wider commercial operations.

RTA is implementing the project through a public-private partnership. Glydways, founded in 2016, specialises in automated transit networks using autonomous electric vehicles on dedicated guideways.

Read: Dubai riders can now book fully driverless taxis on Uber

Dubai Holding Entertainment has launched an annual campaign bringing together its theme parks, attractions, cinemas and live entertainment venues, ahead of the reopening of Global Village on October 14.

The campaign, called ‘Truly Amazing’, will showcase experiences across the group’s portfolio of 20 parks, attractions and destinations, which collectively welcome millions of visitors each year.

The initiative covers theme parks, waterparks, live entertainment, cinema, hospitality, dining, culture and other leisure activities across Dubai.

“The strength of Dubai Holding Entertainment lies not only in the scale of our portfolio, but in the diversity of experiences we create and the role they play in people’s lives,” said Fernando Eiroa, chief executive officer of Dubai Holding Entertainment.

“For residents, many of our destinations are part of the fabric of Dubai; for international visitors, they are part of how the city is experienced and remembered. Truly Amazing celebrates that breadth, and the moments that make each experience meaningful.”

In addition to Global Village, other attractions in the portfolio include Dubai Parks and Resorts,Ain Dubai, the 250-metre observation wheel on Bluewaters Island, and The View Palm Jumeirah, which offers panoramic views from a height of 240 metres.

The group also operates Wild Wadi Waterpark, Coca-Cola Arena, ROXY Cinemas and The Green Planet Dubai, which houses more than 3,000 plants and animals.

ROXY Cinemas operates ROXY Xtreme, described by the company as the largest cinema screen in the Middle East and North Africa.

Global Village reopening on October 14

Global Village, one of the group’s major attractions, is scheduled to welcome visitors from October 14.

The multicultural destination features entertainment, shopping and attractions alongside more than 250 dining outlets offering international cuisines.

Global Village, which reopens for Season 31 on October 14, has also introduced a new range of VIP Packs priced from Dhs1,890 for Silver to Dhs7,900 for Diamond. The packages include VIP parking, entry tickets, and Wonder Pass cards, while Mega Gold and Mega Silver options offer additional access to Dubai Parks and Resorts.

The packs feature a collectible ‘Global Village Story Book’ design, with one containing a cheque worth Dhs31,000. Pre-orders ran from September 21 to 25, followed by public sales from September 26 through the Coca-Cola Arena website. Purchases are limited to one pack per valid Emirates ID for buyers aged 18 and above

Dubai Parks and Resorts attractions

Dubai Parks and Resorts brings together several of the group’s major theme parks, including MOTIONGATE Dubai, LEGOLAND Dubai and Real Madrid World.

Real Madrid World features more than 40 experiences, including the 460-foot Stars Flyer, which the company describes as the world’s tallest amusement ride.

LEGOLAND Dubai includes 15,000 LEGO models built using 60 million bricks.

The wider destination also includes LEGOLAND Water Park, LEGOLAND Hotel, The World of Riverland, Lapita Hotel and T-Rex Glamping.

Dining experiences form part of the campaign, with restaurants and food outlets operating across destinations including Global Village, Ain Dubai, The Green Planet and Dubai Parks and Resorts.

The campaign aims to promote the group’s entertainment and leisure offerings to residents and international visitors year-round.

Twelve people were killed and 309 others injured in Saturday’s missile attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) has confirmed.

The fatalities included four Saudi citizens, two Bangladeshis and one national each from the US, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Palestine and Sudan.

GACA said the injured were receiving treatment at several hospitals, with some in a critical condition.

The attack, which occurred on Saturday afternoon, forced the temporary suspension of airport operations while authorities assessed the damage and verified the safety of its facilities.

Riyadh airport cancellations surge

Flight disruption has been severe, with nearly three-quarters of scheduled departures at King Khalid International Airport cancelled on Sunday.

According to Flightradar24 data recorded at 5.34am Saudi time on October 11, 271 departing flights had been cancelled, representing 73 per cent of departures listed for the day.

Late on Saturday, officials had announced that operations at the airport have been temporarily suspended.

Read more: Riyadh airport suspends operations after new attack leaves several injured

The airport’s disruption index stood at 5.0, reflecting severe disruption.

Separately, FlightAware data cited by Arab News showed at least 291 flights had been cancelled at the airport over the preceding 24 hours.

Several international carriers, including Air India, flydubai, Lufthansa Group and Pakistan International Airlines, had already suspended services to Riyadh following earlier attacks.

Dammam airport also targeted

Hours after Saturday’s attack, Saudi coalition spokesman Major General Turki Al-Maliki said that a projectile had landed near King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, which is near to Bahrain in the northeastern tip of the country.

Saturday’s strike followed a series of attacks on Saudi aviation infrastructure by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi movement through the week.

On Thursday, three Saudi nationals were killed in two separate attacks on Riyadh airport, including Saudia pilot Captain Hamoud Ali AlKalthami, who died when an aircraft on the ground was struck.

A Sudanese national was killed in an earlier attack on Riyadh airport on Wednesday, while two women died following an attack on Abha International Airport on Tuesday.

The Saudi-led Coalition described Saturday’s attack as a war crime and pledged a decisive response.

Meanwhile, Saudi authorities have urged travellers to check directly with their airlines before heading to the airport, as disruption to international services continues.