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.

Saudi Arabia has temporarily suspended operations at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh following a fresh attack on Saturday, which left several people injured.

The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) confirmed the airport was targeted on Saturday, with authorities still assessing the number and severity of injuries.

In a statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), GACA said airport operations had been suspended pending a damage assessment and verification of the safety of its facilities.

The authority said it was coordinating with relevant agencies and would provide further updates.

Flight-tracking data from Flightrader24 showed incoming aircraft being diverted or cancelled, while Kuwait Airways confirmed cancellations due to the airport’s closure.

Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways also cancelled several flights to Riyadh.

Saudia pilot among three killed in earlier attacks

Saturday’s incident comes after King Khalid International Airport was struck twice this week.

GACA confirmed on Friday that three Saudi citizens had been killed and several others injured in those attacks.

The first strike targeted airport facilities, while the second hit a Saudia aircraft parked on the ground.

On Friday, national carrier Saudia identified Captain Hamoud Ali Alkalthami as one of the three people killed.

Saudia also confirmed that one of its aircraft had sustained damage in the attack, although no passengers were on board at the time.

Airport operations had resumed on Thursday evening before Saturday’s latest incident forced another suspension.

The attacks come amid escalating hostilities between Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement, which has claimed responsibility for earlier strikes against Saudi aviation facilities.

The flydubai co-pilot who attacked the captain of a Dubai-to-Tel Aviv flight on September 30 had planned to seize control of the aircraft and crash it into Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport in a suicide attack inspired by the September 11, 2001 terror attacks, UAE prosecutors have revealed.

UAE Attorney-General Dr Hamad Saif Al Shamsi said on Friday that investigations had uncovered a premeditated plot by the 29-year-old Omani national to target the airport’s passenger terminal, with the intention of causing mass casualties.

The findings, released through an official statement, provide the most detailed official account yet of the incident involving flight FZ1073, which was diverted to Tabuk in Saudi Arabia after the co-pilot attacked the aircraft’s captain with an emergency axe.

Plot inspired by September 11 attacks

According to the Attorney-General, investigators traced the suspect’s alleged radicalisation to 2017, when he was studying in Australia.
During that period, he reportedly became influenced by extremist literature and online material glorifying terrorist organisations and suicide attacks.

Prosecutors said the suspect subsequently became fascinated with the September 11 attacks in New York and developed ambitions to carry out a similar operation using an aircraft.

According to his confession, this ambition influenced his decision to pursue a career in aviation.

The suspect worked for Oman Air between 2020 and 2024, spent several months with Royal Air Maroc in 2025, according to prosecutors, and joined flydubai in January 2026.

Investigators also found that he had used two previous flights to Tel Aviv to familiarise himself with the route and airport before allegedly attempting to execute his plan on September 30.

The suspect reportedly prepared himself psychologically and physically by consuming extremist material and undergoing private boxing training.

How the attack was prevented

On the day of the incident, the co-pilot attacked the captain inside the cockpit using an emergency axe.

Despite sustaining serious head injuries, the captain resisted and attempted to summon assistance.

A pilot assigned to operate the return flight, who was travelling on board, noticed the cockpit door opening and closing unusually.

After entering the cockpit using an access code, he witnessed the assault and intervened with assistance from a cabin crew member and several passengers.

The suspect was subsequently restrained, while two pilots assigned to the return flight regained control of the aircraft and diverted it to Tabuk Airport, where it landed safely.

Flight-tracking data previously showed the aircraft losing approximately 16,000 feet of altitude in just 30 seconds during the incident, Reuters reported.

Flydubai recruitment checks examined

The investigation also reviewed how the suspect had been recruited by flydubai.

Prosecutors found that he had satisfied the airline’s professional and security employment requirements, including holding a valid pilot’s licence, submitting a certificate of good conduct and completing the required screening procedures.

However, the checks had not uncovered evidence of extremist beliefs or intentions to carry out an attack.

The findings did not implicate flydubai in wrongdoing.

According to the Attorney-General, the suspect provided a detailed confession in the presence of his lawyer and claimed to have acted alone.

Investigators are continuing to examine that claim, including whether other individuals were involved or had knowledge of the alleged plot.

A forensic medical examination also confirmed that the captain sustained potentially fatal head injuries consistent with an attack involving an emergency axe.

The Public Prosecution said it was continuing to review technical evidence, recordings and witness statements, with further findings to be released as the investigation progresses.