Gulf Airline Suspensions Extended: New Dates for Air France, Lufthansa, Cathay Pacific and Air Canada

Several international airlines extended cancellations of Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Riyadh flights in updates dated October 10, 2026. Air France flights to Dubai and Riyadh and Lufthansa Group flights to Abu Dhabi are suspended through October 24, British Airways resumes Dubai on November 3, and Cathay Pacific's Dubai and Riyadh cancellations run through January 31, 2027 in the latest listing. Travelers with tickets on these routes should confirm their status with the airline or their travel agent before heading to the airport.

This follows our October 10 report on the Riyadh airport disruptions and first wave of airline suspensions. What is new is the longer list of carriers and the dates they have now published.

What changed in the October 10 updates

Quick facts: Emirates, Etihad, flydubai and Air Arabia all cancelled Saudi routes on October 9 and 10, 2026.

Emirates cancelled its Dubai to Riyadh flights EK815 and EK819 and the return flights on October 9 and 10, citing operational reasons, and said it was working to rebook passengers. Etihad cancelled Abu Dhabi to Riyadh services on October 10 and cited "operational disruption at Riyadh airport." flydubai cancelled Riyadh and Yanbu services through October 10 and Abha services through October 11. Gulf News's live flight status page lists these cancellations alongside Air Arabia's Riyadh and Abha changes, which gave no reason.

Air Canada's Dubai and Tel Aviv suspension

Quick facts: Air Canada's Dubai and Tel Aviv flights are suspended until mid-January 2027, according to an August 2026 announcement.

Air Canada announced on August 4 that flights to and from Dubai and Tel Aviv would stay suspended until mid-January 2027, without naming an exact day. The Gulf News summary of the extensions was last updated August 11, so treat that date as dated and check Air Canada's own travel alerts before relying on it.

New dates for European carriers

Quick facts: Air France's Dubai and Riyadh suspensions and the Lufthansa Group's Abu Dhabi suspensions both run through October 24; British Airways resumes Dubai on November 3.

Air France has Dubai and Riyadh flights suspended through October 24. Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian and Edelweiss have Abu Dhabi suspended through the same date, while Eurowings has Abu Dhabi suspended with no resumption date announced. British Airways resumes Dubai on November 3, but its Abu Dhabi service is suspended until winter 2027 to 2028. A Reuters factbox on airline cancellations from April shows how the pattern began this spring.

Cathay Pacific and Singapore Airlines

Quick facts: Cathay's Dubai and Riyadh cancellations run through January 31, 2027, and Singapore Airlines flights SQ494 and SQ495 are cancelled until December 1.

The October 10 listing shows Cathay Pacific's Dubai and Riyadh flights cancelled through January 31, 2027, and Singapore Airlines' Dubai flights SQ494 and SQ495 cancelled until December 1. An August update had said Cathay expected to resume Dubai on October 25, so the sources disagree. A South China Morning Post report on Cathay's extension through January and an earlier IOL report on Lufthansa and Cathay extending Mideast suspensions show the extensions have been rolling since March. Confirm the current date with Cathay before you assume either one.

Dubai to Tel Aviv and Iranian airline restrictions

Quick facts: Emirates has suspended its codeshare with flydubai to and from Tel Aviv "until further notice," and the UAE has suspended Iranian airlines' flights with no end date.

flydubai's Tel Aviv services remain affected after a security incident involving flight FZ1073. Emirates suspended its codeshare with flydubai on that route, and the UAE has suspended flights by Iranian airlines to and from the country. Neither measure has an end date. Khaleej Times has covered the flydubai and Etihad Saudi cancellations alongside these changes, and Time Out Dubai's October headline counts 17 international airlines suspending Dubai flights.

Rebooking, refunds and timing

Quick facts: flydubai asks customers to use Manage Booking, agency bookings go through the agent, and the guidance says to arrive three to four hours early.

Emirates says it is working to rebook affected passengers. flydubai says customers can use Manage Booking to request a refund or rebooking, but bookings made through an agent should go through the agent. Cathay Pacific offers rebooking, rerouting or refunds, and the August update said it was waiving those charges for eligible bookings with travel allowed until March 31, 2027. The Gulf News guidance advises allowing at least three hours before departure, or four hours for flydubai departures from Dubai. For general passenger rights after a cancellation, AirHelp's flight disruption guide is a useful starting point, though rules vary by country and carrier. Background on the wider year is in Wikipedia's 2026 in aviation timeline, and The National's Dubai flight status explainer tracks the earlier September changes.

What this means for travelers who book through a travel agency

Quick facts: Agency bookings are often changed through the agent rather than the airline app, so ask for written confirmation of any new flight or refund.

If an agency issued your ticket, ask the agent to confirm whether the airline will rebook you or refund the cancelled segment before you change anything yourself. An agent can compare alternative routings, check fare rules for each carrier, and explain whether a refund or credit applies to the unused part of a multi-leg trip. Rebooking on a different airline can cost more, so get any fare difference in writing before you accept it.

People also ask

Are flights to Dubai still cancelled?

Some are and some are not, depending on the airline and the route. The October 10 listing shows Emirates and flydubai cancelling specific flights rather than whole routes, while Air France and Lufthansa Group carriers have longer suspensions through October 24 and Cathay Pacific lists Dubai cancellations through January 31, 2027. Check your airline's flight status page on the day you travel, because these listings change often. The Gulf News live status page is one place to compare.

Can I get a refund if my flight was cancelled?

Refund rules depend on your ticket and the airline. Emirates says it is working to rebook passengers, and flydubai lets customers request a refund or rebooking through Manage Booking. If you booked through an agent, send the request through the agent. Keep the cancellation notice and any extra costs, and ask for any refund in writing before you accept a credit or voucher.

Which airlines have suspended Riyadh flights?

The October 10 listing shows Emirates, Etihad, flydubai and Air Arabia cancelling Riyadh services over October 9 and 10. Air France has Riyadh suspended through October 24, and Cathay Pacific lists Riyadh cancelled through January 31, 2027. Some Air Arabia changes gave no reason. Check your airline before you travel, and confirm the status of connecting flights as well as the direct one.

Does Air Canada still fly to Dubai?

Air Canada announced in August that its Dubai and Tel Aviv flights would stay suspended until mid-January 2027. That is the most recent Air Canada date in the sources checked for this article, so it may have changed. Confirm your booking directly with Air Canada before you plan around a Dubai connection, and ask about alternatives if your flight is cancelled.

How early should I get to the airport during Gulf disruptions?

The Gulf News guidance advises arriving at least three hours before departure, and four hours for flydubai departures from Dubai. Those are general recommendations rather than airline rules, so check your airline's own advice. Arriving earlier helps if check-in or security is slow, and it gives you time to rebook at the desk if a cancellation happens on the day.

Facts checked against current sources as of October 12, 2026; confirm before booking, traveling or deciding.