≡-Emirates, Qatar, SpiceJet, Etihad, Turkish, British, Air India, American, United, KLM, Oman Air, And Others Face Over Two Hundred Ninety Flights Cancellations And Delays At Dubai, Doha, Riyadh, Jeddah, And Istanbul Airports Amid Operational Challenges Across Middle East – Viral of Today

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Home » AIRLINE NEWS » Airline News of US » Emirates, Qatar, SpiceJet, Etihad, Turkish, British, Air India, American, United, KLM, Oman Air, And Others Face Over Two Hundred Ninety Flights Cancellations And Delays At Dubai, Doha, Riyadh, Jeddah, And Istanbul Airports Amid Operational Challenges Across Middle East Wednesday, June 25, 2025A surge in flight disruptions has gripped key Middle Eastern hubs, with over two hundred ninety cancellations and delays reported in a single day at major airports in Dubai, Doha, Riyadh, Jeddah, and Istanbul. Airlines including Emirates, Qatar Airways, SpiceJet, Etihad, Turkish Airlines, British Airways, Air India, American Airlines, United, KLM, and Oman Air faced widespread operational setbacks caused by a combination of adverse weather conditions, regional airspace congestion, and staffing limitations, triggering a ripple effect across international and domestic routes.A powerful weather system has swept across the Gulf and surrounding regions, causing major disruptions to air travel at six of the Middle East’s busiest airports. Leading airlines—Emirates, Qatar Airways, FlyDubai, Saudia, SpiceJet, IndiGO, Etihad Airways, Turkish Airlines, and others—have faced a wave of delays and cancellations. According to a new operational report, over three hundred flights were affected in a single day due to bad weather, causing chaos for travelers and major scheduling setbacks across the region.Airports Report Heavy Operational DisruptionFlights across the Middle East faced major setbacks as severe weather swept through six of the region’s busiest aviation hubs: Doha’s Hamad International, Dubai International, Queen Alia Airport in Amman, King Khalid in Riyadh, King Abdulaziz in Jeddah, and Istanbul Airport. Serving as vital crossroads linking Asia, Africa, and Europe, these airports saw operations grind to a halt due to sandstorms, heavy winds, and poor visibility. More than 300 flights were either grounded or delayed as weather conditions forced emergency safety protocols, leading to runway shutdowns, restricted movements, and a wave of rerouted or rescheduled flights across multiple carriers.Airlines Most Impacted by DisruptionsSeveral leading airlines across the region experienced the most severe impact from the widespread disruptions:Qatar Airways delayed 118 flights and canceled one. Its central hub in Doha felt the full impact of visibility issues and congestion.Emirates delayed 53 flights, representing more than 10% of its schedule for the day.FlyDubai saw 52 delays, which significantly affected its low-cost short-haul network.SpiceJet logged 12 delays, accounting for over half of its regional schedule.Saudia, operating across Jeddah and Riyadh, canceled 8 flights and delayed several more.Royal Jordanian grounded six flights and experienced delays on twenty-three others, with the majority of disruptions occurring at its Amman hub.IndiGO, Etihad Airways, Turkish Airlines, and Air India Express also reported significant operational setbacks.Other global carriers impacted included British Airways, American Airlines, United, Finnair, KLM, Oman Air, Air Arabia, Wizz Air, Aegean Airlines, and Aeroflot. Delays for these airlines ranged from 10% to 50% of their flights depending on the airport and weather window.Airport-by-Airport Summary of DisruptionsHamad International Airport (Doha)131 delays and 8 cancellations.Airlines impacted at the Doha hub included Qatar Airways, British Airways, Finnair, and Japan Airlines.Dubai International Airport164 delays and 6 cancellations.Emirates, FlyDubai, Air India Express, SpiceJet, US-Bangla Airlines bore the biggest operational impact.Queen Alia International Airport (Amman)30 delays, 12 cancellations.Royal Jordanian and Saudia were most disrupted.King Khalid International Airport (Riyadh)31 delays, 5 cancellations.Saudia, Flynas, Flyadeal, and Qatar Airways experienced partial network freeze.King Abdulaziz International Airport (Jeddah)24 delays, 4 cancellations.Disruptions mainly hit Saudia, Akasa Air, Etihad Airways, and Ethiopian Airlines.Istanbul Airport57 delays, 1 cancellation.Turkish Airlines, Gulf Air, Royal Jordanian, and Uzbekistan Airways were among those affected.Severe Weather at the Heart of the CrisisMeteorological offices in the region issued warnings for high winds, dust storms, and rapid temperature drops, all of which impaired visibility and aircraft handling conditions. The weather grounded several aircraft on arrival and departure runs and forced others into holding patterns or diversions to secondary airports.Air traffic control teams enforced extended separation between flights, causing cascading delays through regional and intercontinental routes. This ripple effect compounded the strain on ground crews and support operations.Airlines Scramble to Mitigate Passenger ChaosAirlines moved quickly to respond to the wave of operational disruptions.Qatar Airways advised travelers to check the latest flight updates before heading to the airport, citing ongoing disruptions.Emirates responded by rescheduling passengers and waiving rebooking fees for those impacted by delays.FlyDubai and Air India Express diverted selected flights to alternative Gulf airports to ease operational strain.SpiceJet held back a large portion of its outbound flights to create buffer time for incoming aircraft to arrive and turn around.Travelers faced missed connections, overnight delays, and last-minute gate changes across the region. Many were stranded at terminals waiting for reassignments or weather updates. Airports arranged additional support staff and rolled out contingency plans to handle the passenger overflow.Experts Warn of Continued VolatilityAviation analysts warn that bad weather in the Gulf during summer is not rare, and more such incidents are likely over the coming weeks. Sandstorms, extreme heat, and coastal fog are known to test airport systems and air traffic control capacity.Over two hundred ninety flights were canceled or delayed at major Middle East airports including Dubai, Doha, Riyadh, Jeddah, and Istanbul, as airlines like Emirates, Qatar, and others faced widespread operational setbacks due to bad weather, airspace congestion, and staffing issues.Passengers Urged to Stay PreparedAuthorities and airline representatives have advised passengers to:Monitor airline apps and real-time airport dashboardsArrive early for international departuresExpect delays or reschedulingBook flexible connections whenever possibleWith thousands of travelers relying on Middle Eastern hubs daily, even minor weather disruptions can quickly escalate into international backlogs. Travelers are encouraged to prepare for changing conditions and allow buffer time when connecting through airports like Dubai, Doha, and Istanbul.Tags: air india, Airline News, American, British, Doha, Dubai, Emirates, etihad, Istanbul, Jeddah, klm, Oman Air, QATAR, Riyadh, spicejet, Tourism news, travel industry, Travel News, Turkish, United

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