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UAE airlines cancel Riyadh flights as King Khalid airport disrupted, then closed after attack

Emirates, Etihad, flydubai and Air Arabia cancelled flights between the UAE and Riyadh from 10 October. The National later linked the cancellations to the closure of King Khalid International Airport after a deadly Houthi attack.

2 outlets · 0L · 2C · 0R First reported Account updated
Image: Gulf News
Image: The National

1 / 2

The story, neutrally told

Centre · 1On Saturday 10 October, Emirates, Etihad Airways, flydubai and Air Arabia cancelled flights linking Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah with Riyadh, Gulf News reported. Some flydubai services to Abha and Yanbu were also affected. Centre · 1Gulf News attributed Etihad's Saturday cancellations to operational disruption at Riyadh airport. It listed EY551 and EY555 from Abu Dhabi and EY552 and EY556 from Riyadh as cancelled that day. Emirates cited operational reasons for cancelling flights on Friday and Saturday, and said it was working to rebook passengers. Centre · 1Later on Saturday, Etihad extended its Abu Dhabi–Riyadh cancellations through 12 October. The same day, King Khalid International Airport issued a travel alert telling passengers to check with their airline that their flight was operating before going to the airport.

Centre · 1On Sunday 11 October, The National reported that the disruption continued after King Khalid International Airport closed because of a deadly Houthi rebel attack. It said Saturday's attack killed 12 people and injured 309, according to Saudi Arabia's General Authority of Civil Aviation. Authorities suspended operations while they assessed damage and checked the safety of airport facilities. Centre · 1An aviation notice listed the airport as closed until midnight on Sunday (1am Monday UAE time). The notice cites precautionary measures and does not say when passenger operations will resume. Flightradar24 showed 606 flights to and from Riyadh cancelled on Sunday as of 9.15am UAE time, 293 departures and 313 arrivals. Centre · 1Etihad confirmed six cancellations between Abu Dhabi and Riyadh on Sunday (EY551, EY555, EY559 and the return flights EY552, EY556, EY560). It confirmed two more on Monday 12 October (EY551 and EY552). Flightradar24 also listed Emirates, flydubai and Air Arabia Riyadh services as cancelled on Sunday, and some Emirates flights as cancelled early on Monday.

Centre · 1The National said flights to Riyadh had already faced days of disruption after earlier attacks. It said Sunday's flydubai cancellations to Riyadh went beyond the airline's earlier advisory, which covered Riyadh and Yanbu through 10 October and Abha through 11 October. Several UAE–Riyadh services remain listed as scheduled for Monday, but whether they operate will depend on conditions at the airport. Centre · 2Both outlets say Etihad described the situation as dynamic, with further changes possible. Both advise passengers to check flight status with their airline and to contact the airline or a travel agent about rebooking and refunds.

Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.

Left0 outlets

No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.

Centre2 outlets

Framing
Both outlets run service-journalism coverage for UAE travellers, listing cancelled flight numbers by airline and giving passenger advice. Gulf News describes 'operational disruption'. The National, a day later, links the cancellations to the airport closure after a Houthi attack.
Emphasis
Flight numbers, dates, airline statements, refund and rebooking guidance; The National adds Flightradar24 cancellation counts and casualty figures.
Leaves out or plays down
Gulf News's two articles do not name the cause of the airport disruption or mention the attack. The National gives little on airline statements beyond Etihad.
Charged language
“deadly Houthi rebel attack”
For example
“Passengers should check directly with their airline for the latest flight status before heading to the airport.” — Gulf News
“due to operational disruption at King Khalid International Airport in Saudi Arabia” — Gulf News
“following the closure of King Khalid International Airport because of a deadly Houthi rebel attack” — The National

Right0 outlets

No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.