Etihad Airways has prolonged the suspension of flights EY653/654 between Abu Dhabi and Kuwait to at least 26 July 2026, citing “operational reasons” linked to regional security, Gulf News reported in an aviation update posted 24 July. The carrier has also pulled select Bahrain rotations through 25 July. Although Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi airports are fully operational, data from FlightAware show punctuality has slipped 4–6 percentage points over the past 48 hours as airlines reroute around conflict-affected corridors. Emirates and flydubai have each scrubbed a handful of Kuwait and Bahrain services, while ground handlers report longer turnaround times due to crew-duty regulations. Travel-management teams should rebook impacted passengers on alternative frequencies or via Doha or Muscat, but seat availability is tightening as summer demand peaks. Premium-class fares on unaffected flights to Riyadh and Muscat are up 18 per cent week-on-week, according to OAG data. Companies moving freight should note that cancelled passenger flights also remove belly-hold capacity; logistics teams may need to shift time-sensitive consignments onto dedicated freighters or surface routes.
Source: Gulf News
