Published on
March 28, 2026
Image generated with Ai
Hundreds of passengers stranded across Saudi Arabia today as flight disruptions affected it’s aviation network, causing 604 delays and 63 cancellations across King Abdulaziz International Airport (12 cancellations, 249 delays) in Jeddah, King Khalid International Airport (29 cancellations, 238 delays) in Riyadh, King Fahd International Airport (11 cancellations, 78 delays) in Dammam, Prince Mohammad Bin Abdulaziz Airport (5 cancellations, 39 delays) in Medina, and Al-Jouf Domestic Airport (6 cancellations) in Al-Jouf.
The most affected airlines include Saudia (25 cancellations, 219 delays), Flynas (121 delays), flyadeal (87 delays), Gulf Air (22 cancellations, 11 delays), and Egypt Air (8 cancellations, 18 delays). Other active carriers such as FlyDubai, Pegasus Airlines, Kuwait Airways, Akasa Air, Kam Air, and Fly Jinnah also reported disruptions, though at lower volumes.
Across Jeddah, Riyadh, Dammam, Medina, and Al-Jouf, the disruption pattern shows heavy delay concentration at major hubs and cancellation-heavy impact at smaller or regional airports, affecting both domestic and international travel corridors.
- Updated today: 604 delays and 63 cancellations recorded across five airports in Saudi Arabia
- Riyadh (29 cancellations) reported the highest number of cancellations
- Jeddah (249 delays) recorded the highest delay volume
- Saudia (219 delays, 25 cancellations) led overall disruptions among airlines
- Flynas (121 delays) and flyadeal (87 delays) drove delay-heavy congestion
- Gulf Air (22 cancellations) showed the highest cancellation concentration
- Al-Jouf recorded only cancellations (6) with zero delays, an outlier pattern
- Dammam and Medina showed moderate but consistent disruption levels
Most Affected Airports
King Abdulaziz International Airport (Jeddah)
Jeddah recorded the highest number of delays (249) with 12 cancellations, making it the most delay-impacted airport in Saudi Arabia. Operations remained active but congested, driven largely by Saudia, Flynas, and flyadeal.
King Khalid International Airport (Riyadh)
Riyadh saw the highest cancellations (29) alongside 238 delays, reflecting a mixed disruption profile. Saudia and Gulf Air contributed significantly to cancellations, while multiple carriers drove delays.
King Fahd International Airport (Dammam)
Dammam reported 78 delays and 11 cancellations, with cancellations concentrated among Gulf Air and Egypt Air, while low-cost carriers dominated delay counts.
Prince Mohammad Bin Abdulaziz Airport (Medina)
Medina saw 39 delays and 5 cancellations, with flyadeal and Saudia leading delays, while Gulf Air contributed most cancellations.
Al-Jouf Domestic Airport
Al-Jouf recorded 6 cancellations and zero delays, making it the only airport with a pure cancellation profile, entirely linked to Saudia operations.
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Airlines Most Affected by Flight Cancellations and Delays
Saudia
Saudia recorded the highest overall disruption levels in Saudi Arabia, with 25 cancellations and 219 delays across multiple airports. The airline was heavily impacted in Jeddah and Riyadh, where delay volumes were particularly high, and also contributed to cancellations in Al-Jouf and Medina, reflecting a broad operational strain across both major hubs and regional routes.
Flynas
Flynas emerged as a major driver of delays, reporting 121 delays. Its disruption profile was concentrated across Jeddah, Riyadh, Dammam, and Medina, indicating consistent operational slowdowns rather than flight suspensions.
flyadeal
flyadeal reported 87 delays with zero cancellations, making it another key contributor to delay-heavy congestion. The airline showed a strong presence across Jeddah, Riyadh, Dammam, and Medina, reinforcing the pattern of low-cost carriers being more affected by scheduling delays than cancellations.
Gulf Air
Gulf Air stood out as the most cancellation-heavy airline, with 22 cancellations and 11 delays. The majority of its disruptions were concentrated in Riyadh, Dammam, and Medina, where cancellation ratios were significantly higher compared to delays.
Egypt Air
Egypt Air displayed a mixed disruption profile, with 8 cancellations and 18 delays. While it contributed to delays across several airports, its high cancellation rate in Dammam was particularly notable, indicating localized operational challenges.
FlyDubai
FlyDubai reported 3 delays and no cancellations, primarily in Dammam. Although the total volume was low, the airline experienced a relatively high delay ratio within its limited operations.
Pegasus Airlines
Pegasus Airlines recorded 1 cancellation and no delays, with its disruption concentrated in Riyadh. This reflects a single but complete service disruption, rather than ongoing operational delays.
Kuwait Airways Corporation
Kuwait Airways reported 2 cancellations and no delays, with disruptions observed in Riyadh and Medina. Its impact remained limited but entirely cancellation-focused.
Akasa Air and Kam Air
Both Akasa Air and Kam Air recorded 1 cancellation each with no delays, contributing marginally to the overall disruption picture, primarily in Riyadh.
Fly Jinnah
Fly Jinnah reported 2 delays and no cancellations, with disruptions centered in Dammam, indicating a minor but delay-only operational impact.
What Can Affected Passengers Do?
- Check real-time flight status before heading to airports like Jeddah or Riyadh
- Allow extra transit time, especially at high-delay hubs such as King Abdulaziz International Airport
- Stay in contact with airline support channels for rebooking or updates
- Monitor boarding gate changes and announcements within airports like Dammam and Medina
- Keep essential travel documents and alternatives ready in case of last-minute cancellations
- Use airline apps or airport displays for continuous updates rather than relying on fixed schedules
Overview of Flight Cancellations And Delays
Flight disruptions in Saudi Arabia, across Jeddah, Riyadh, Dammam, Medina, and Al-Jouf highlight a nationwide operational strain, with Saudia, Flynas, flyadeal, Gulf Air, Egypt Air, and FlyDubai among the most impacted carriers.
Major hubs like Jeddah and Riyadh experienced heavy delay congestion, driven by high traffic volumes and operational bottlenecks, while Dammam and Medina showed balanced disruption patterns with moderate delays and cancellations.
In contrast, Al-Jouf presented a complete cancellation scenario, underscoring how smaller airports can face concentrated disruption events. Across all cities — Jeddah, Riyadh, Dammam, Medina, and Al-Jouf — the data indicates a clear divide between delay-heavy operations at major hubs and cancellation-focused disruptions at lower-traffic airports, affecting both domestic and international routes.
Source: Different airports and FlightAware
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