Just hours after announcing fresh cancellations on 20 July, Etihad Airways confirmed in the early hours of 21 July that its Abu Dhabi–Kuwait shuttle would remain grounded until at least 24 July. The move mirrors similar cuts by Emirates, Air Arabia and flydubai and follows Kuwait International Airport’s intermittent closures amid missile-alert sirens linked to the widening US-Iran conflict. The National details how eight Emirates rotations and multiple Air Arabia services were cancelled over the weekend, leaving hundreds of business travellers and residents scrambling for alternatives. Kuwait Airways and Jazeera Airways have also rescheduled large parts of their networks, underscoring the ripple effect across Gulf connectivity. Travel management companies say the UAE–Kuwait corridor is a critical link for oil-and-gas engineers, defence contractors and regional headquarters staff who commute weekly. With many corporates operating split teams between Dubai or Abu Dhabi and Kuwait City, assignment calendars are already being redrawn and virtual-meeting allowances reinstated. While flights to Saudi Arabia’s Abha airport have also been hit, Dubai International and Zayed International (AUH) remain operational. Mobility teams are being urged to switch to surface transport via Saudi Arabia where feasible, though land-border wait times have stretched to six hours at peak. Etihad says affected passengers can rebook within 30 days or cancel for a full refund, but advisory desks warn that spare capacity on alternative dates is evaporating fast as carriers juggle crew-duty limits and longer routings around restricted airspace.
Source: The National
