Hundreds of passengers grounded across Saudi Arabia, UAE, Türkiye, Egypt, Qatar, Kuwait, Iran and Jordan today as 1,574 flight delays and 21 cancellations were recorded at 12 major airports in the Middle East, Türkiye, and North African region.
The most affected airports were Dubai International (1 cancellation, 259 delays), Cairo International (4 cancellations, 229 delays), Istanbul Airport (3 cancellations, 229 delays), Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen (2 cancellations, 197 delays), King Khalid International – Riyadh (0 cancellations, 184 delays), and King Abdulaziz International – Jeddah (4 cancellations, 180 delays).
Other affected cities included Doha, Qatar (150 delays); Kuwait City, Kuwait (64 delays); Dammam, Saudi Arabia (2 cancellations, 50 delays); Mashhad, Iran (2 cancellations, 3 delays); Ha’il, Saudi Arabia (1 cancellation, 7 delays); and Amman, Jordan (2 cancellations, 22 delays).
The most affected airlines by volume included Turkish Airlines (3 cancellations, 174 delays), Qatar Airways (101 delays at Hamad; 6 delays at King Abdulaziz; 4 at Kuwait), Flynas (55 delays at King Khalid; 36 at King Abdulaziz; 15 at King Fahd; 4 at Sabiha; 2 at Queen Alia; 1 at Ha’il), Saudia (62 delays at King Abdulaziz; 55 at King Khalid; 4 at Ha’il; 3 at Istanbul Airport), and Egypt Air (3 cancellations, 89 delays at Cairo; 2 cancellations at King Abdulaziz; 4 delays at King Fahd; 3 at Istanbul; 2 at Queen Alia).
Other major carriers facing operational impact included Emirates (76 delays at Dubai; 4 at Cairo; 3 at Kuwait), Pegasus Airlines (2 cancellations, 142 delays at Sabiha; 3 at Istanbul Airport), Royal Jordanian (2 cancellations, 6 delays at Queen Alia), and Iran National Airlines Corp. (2 cancellations at King Fahd; 2 cancellations, 1 delay at Mashhad).

• Update today: 1,574 delays and 21 cancellations were recorded across 12 airports.
• Dubai recorded the highest delay total (259).
• Cairo and Istanbul Airport each recorded 229 delays.
• Turkish Airlines faced the largest airline-specific delay volume (174).
• Qatar Airways recorded over 100 delays at Hamad alone.
• Pegasus Airlines accounted for 2 cancellations and 142 delays at Sabiha.
• Cancellations were concentrated at Cairo, Jeddah, Istanbul, Dammam, Mashhad, and Amman.

Most Affected Airports

Dubai International Airport (Dubai, United Arab Emirates)

Dubai recorded 259 delays and 1 cancellation, the highest total delay volume across all airports assessed. The disruption was heavily distributed across major regional and international carriers, with Emirates (76 delays) and FlyDubai (84 delays) accounting for a large portion. The scale of delays indicates network-wide ripple effects rather than isolated operational incidents.

Cairo International Airport (Cairo, Egypt)

Cairo reported 229 delays and 4 cancellations, making it one of the most cancellation-impacted airports in the dataset. Egypt Air alone recorded 3 cancellations and 89 delays, significantly influencing overall airport performance. Multiple regional carriers also showed elevated delay percentages, indicating broad operational strain.

Istanbul Airport (Istanbul, Türkiye)

Istanbul Airport logged 229 delays and 3 cancellations, with Turkish Airlines responsible for 174 delays and all 3 cancellations. The concentration of disruption within a single dominant carrier suggests hub-based operational congestion.

Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (Istanbul, Türkiye)

Sabiha recorded 197 delays and 2 cancellations, primarily driven by Pegasus Airlines (142 delays, 2 cancellations). Turkish Airlines and several Gulf carriers also contributed smaller delay volumes. The disruption profile was airline-concentrated but operationally intense.

King Khalid International Airport (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia)

Riyadh registered 184 delays and zero cancellations. Flynas (55 delays) and Saudia (55 delays) together accounted for nearly 60% of total delays. The absence of cancellations indicates schedule slippage rather than flight removals.

King Abdulaziz International Airport (Jeddah, Saudi Arabia)

Jeddah recorded 180 delays and 4 cancellations, with Saudia (62 delays) and Flynas (36 delays) leading delay totals. Egypt Air and Yemenia accounted for the 4 cancellations. The airport showed a balanced mix of domestic and international carrier disruption.

Hamad International Airport (Doha, Qatar)

Doha logged 150 delays and zero cancellations, with Qatar Airways responsible for 101 delays. Secondary carriers such as Air Arabia, Malaysia Airlines, and Air India also reported elevated delay percentages.

Kuwait International Airport (Kuwait City, Kuwait)

Kuwait City reported 64 delays, with Jazeera Airways (15 delays) and Kuwait Airways (14 delays) contributing the majority. The impact was moderate relative to larger hubs.

King Fahd International Airport (Dammam, Saudi Arabia)

Dammam registered 50 delays and 2 cancellations, with Iran National Airlines responsible for both cancellations. Flynas led delay counts (15). Smaller carriers showed high percentage delay rates despite lower volumes.

Airlines Most Affected by Flight Cancellations and Delays

Turkish Airlines

Recorded 3 cancellations and 174 delays at Istanbul Airport, plus additional delays at Sabiha. It had the single largest airline-specific delay volume in the dataset.

Qatar Airways

Logged 101 delays at Hamad International, plus additional delays at Jeddah (6) and Kuwait (4). Despite high volume, no cancellations were recorded.

Flynas

Accumulated widespread delays: 55 at Riyadh, 36 at Jeddah, 15 at Dammam, 4 at Sabiha, 2 at Amman, and 1 at Ha’il, making it one of the most geographically dispersed disruption profiles.

Saudia

Recorded 62 delays at Jeddah, 55 at Riyadh, and smaller volumes at Istanbul and Ha’il, placing it among the highest total delay contributors.

Egypt Air

Logged 3 cancellations and 89 delays at Cairo, plus 2 cancellations at Jeddah and multiple delay entries across Istanbul, Dammam, and Amman. It was among the top carriers by combined cancellations and delays.

Pegasus Airlines

Registered 2 cancellations and 142 delays at Sabiha, plus 3 delays at Istanbul Airport. The disruption was heavily hub-concentrated.

Emirates

Recorded 76 delays at Dubai, plus additional delays at Cairo (4) and Kuwait (3). No cancellations were reported.

What Can Affected Passengers Do?

• Check airline websites or official apps for updated flight status.
• Monitor airport departure boards before heading to the terminal.
• Contact airline customer service for rebooking options.
• Review ticket terms regarding refunds or schedule changes.
• Arrive early to account for potential cascading delays.
• Keep travel insurance documentation accessible if applicable.

Learn More

Overview of Flight Cancellations And Delays

Across Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Cairo, Egypt; Istanbul, Türkiye; Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; Doha, Qatar; Kuwait City, Kuwait; Dammam, Saudi Arabia; Mashhad, Iran; Ha’il, Saudi Arabia; and Amman, Jordan, disruption levels varied but remained overwhelmingly delay-driven rather than cancellation-heavy.
Dubai International Airport (Dubai, UAE) recorded the highest delay volume at 259 delays and 1 cancellation, making it the single most delay-affected hub in the dataset.
Cairo International Airport (Cairo, Egypt) and Istanbul Airport (Istanbul, Türkiye) each logged 229 delays, with Cairo recording 4 cancellations and Istanbul recording 3 cancellations.
Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (Istanbul, Türkiye) reported 197 delays and 2 cancellations, heavily concentrated in Pegasus Airlines operations.
King Khalid International Airport (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia) registered 184 delays with zero cancellations, while King Abdulaziz International Airport (Jeddah, Saudi Arabia) reported 180 delays and 4 cancellations.
In the Gulf region, Hamad International Airport (Doha, Qatar) recorded 150 delays without cancellations, largely linked to Qatar Airways.
Kuwait International Airport (Kuwait City, Kuwait) logged 64 delays with no cancellations, while King Fahd International Airport (Dammam, Saudi Arabia) recorded 50 delays and 2 cancellations.
Smaller regional airports also experienced measurable disruption.
Mashhad International Airport (Mashhad, Iran) reported 2 cancellations and 3 delays.
Ha’il Regional Airport (Ha’il, Saudi Arabia) recorded 1 cancellation and 7 delays.
Queen Alia International Airport (Amman, Jordan) logged 2 cancellations and 22 delays.
Airline impact was led by Turkish Airlines (3 cancellations, 174 delays at Istanbul Airport), Qatar Airways (101 delays at Doha, plus regional delays), Flynas (major delay volumes across Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, and Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen), Saudia (significant delays in Jeddah and Riyadh), Egypt Air (3 cancellations and 89 delays at Cairo, plus regional disruption), Pegasus Airlines (2 cancellations and 142 delays at Sabiha), and Emirates (76 delays at Dubai, plus delays in Cairo and Kuwait City).
In total, the disruption across these 12 airports amounted to 1,574 delays and 21 cancellations, with the majority concentrated in major aviation hubs in the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Türkiye, and Saudi Arabia, followed by Qatar, Kuwait, Iran, and Jordan.

Image Source: AI
Source: Different airports and FlightAware