Etihad extends suspension of Saudi routes until 5 November as security concerns persist

Etihad Airways, Abu Dhabi’s national carrier, has pushed back the resumption of all flights to Riyadh and Dammam, and four daily services to Jeddah, by a further 12 days to 5 November. The extension, confirmed on 23 October, follows drone and missile strikes that hit terminals at Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport on 12 October and Dammam’s King Fahd International Airport on 21 October. Thirteen people were killed in the first incident and two more, including an Indian resident, in the second. Etihad initially halted the routes for one week but has now issued three successive extensions as insurers, security advisers and regulators reassess the risk landscape. According to the airline’s live flight-status portal, every Abu Dhabi–Riyadh and Abu Dhabi–Dammam rotation is cancelled through 5 November, while Jeddah flights EY601-604 are grounded for the same period. Day-time Abu Dhabi–Jeddah rotations outside those flight numbers continue to operate, but night services remain cancelled. Passengers booked on the affected flights can rebook or request refunds without penalty; Etihad is also waiving fare differences for first re-accommodations on alternative routings via Kuwait, Doha or Bahrain. Corporate mobility managers are being urged to monitor the situation daily. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency’s conflict-zone bulletin continues to advise carriers to avoid Gulf waters airspace below Flight Level 260. Travel-risk consultants say the heightened threat environment – including possible spill-over into UAE airspace – explains why Etihad is acting with extreme caution despite the economic cost of parking aircraft and re-routing crews. For UAE-based employers, the practical advice is straightforward: defer all but essential travel to central and eastern Saudi Arabia; use remote-meeting options where possible; and, if travel is unavoidable, route staff through Jeddah or indirect points with same-aircraft service to Riyadh once operations restart. Travellers already holding Saudi visas should check validity windows, as overstays caused by cancelled flights will still attract fines unless covered by an official waiver.