Thousands of Indian Expats Stranded by UAE Flight Cancellations
Thousands of Indian expatriates found themselves stranded at Dubai International Airport and Zayed International Airport in Abu Dhabi on the morning of Thursday, October 8, 2026. Widespread flight cancellations and delays have left many workers unable to reach their destinations in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain, despite holding confirmed tickets.
The disruptions, which have heavily impacted Indian migrant workers traveling for holidays, job relocations, or family visits, have been attributed to a combination of regional security concerns and various operational or technical issues.
Major Flight Disruptions and Cancellations
Travelers across the Emirates faced a wave of cancellations affecting several major carriers. The following flights were specifically identified as being impacted:
- Flydubai: FZ969 (Dubai to Moscow Vnukovo), FZ815 and FZ811 (Dubai to Abha), and FZ817 (Dubai to Yanbu) were among the affected services.
- Emirates: Flight EK855 from Dubai to Kuwait was cancelled.
- Saudia: Flight SV563 from Dubai to Riyadh was cancelled.
- Flynas: Flight XY202 from Dubai to Riyadh experienced delays.
- Etihad Airways: Flight EY653 to Kuwait and flights EY575 and EY577 to Dammam were delayed.
- Air Arabia: Services from Sharjah, including G9068 and G9124 to Kuwait and G9107 to Bahrain, were cancelled, while G9101 was delayed.
- Other Services: The 3L020 service from Abu Dhabi to Kuwait was cancelled, and Philippine Airlines cancelled its Manila-Riyadh flight PR654 on October 8, with the return flight PR655 also cancelled on October 10, citing security conditions.
Security Concerns and Operational Changes
The volatility in regional travel is being driven by heightened