Travel chaos across Saudi Airports as major carriers face widespread delays, says TTW

2026-03-29 - 12:53

Hundreds of passengers were left stranded across Saudi Arabia on Saturday after widespread disruptions affected the Kingdom’s aviation network, with a total of 604 flight delays and 63 cancellations recorded across key airports. The operational setbacks impacted five major hubs, including King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, Prince Mohammad Bin Abdulaziz Airport in Medina, and Al-Jouf Domestic Airport. The disruptions affected both domestic and international travel, creating significant congestion and delays for travelers, according to Travel and Tour World. Jeddah’s King Abdulaziz International Airport recorded the highest number of delays, with 249 flights affected alongside 12 cancellations. Despite continued operations, the airport experienced heavy congestion driven by high traffic volumes and operational pressures on major carriers. In Riyadh, King Khalid International Airport reported the highest number of cancellations at 29, in addition to 238 delays. The capital’s main airport saw a mixed disruption pattern, with both cancellations and delays impacting schedules across multiple airlines. King Fahd International Airport in Dammam registered 78 delays and 11 cancellations, reflecting moderate but consistent disruption levels. Similarly, Prince Mohammad Bin Abdulaziz Airport in Medina recorded 39 delays and five cancellations. Al-Jouf Domestic Airport presented an unusual pattern, reporting six cancellations without any delays, indicating a complete halt in affected services rather than staggered scheduling disruptions. Among airlines, Saudia was the most impacted carrier, accounting for 25 cancellations and 219 delays. Low-cost operators Flynas and flyadeal contributed significantly to delays, with 121 and 87 respectively. Gulf Air recorded the highest number of cancellations among airlines at 22, while Egypt Air reported eight cancellations and 18 delays. Other carriers, including FlyDubai, Pegasus Airlines, Kuwait Airways, Akasa Air, Kam Air, and Fly Jinnah, also experienced operational disruptions, though at comparatively lower levels. The disruption pattern highlights a concentration of delays at major aviation hubs such as Jeddah and Riyadh, while smaller or regional airports experienced a higher proportion of cancellations. The situation underscores ongoing operational challenges affecting airline schedules and passenger movement across the Kingdom.