| Kuwait’s Jazeera Airways diverts flights to Saudi airport
Kuwait: Jazeera Airways diverted its operations Sunday to Al Qaisumah Airport after the temporary closure of Kuwait’s airspace, according to Kuwait News Agency. |
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| Qatar Airways announces resumption of rescue flights from Doha
Qatar: Qatar Civil Aviation Authority has announced the partial resumption of its repatriation flights from capital Doha through designated navigational contingency routes with limited operational capacity, in full coordination with the Qatari Armed Forces and the relevant authorities, reported Qatar News Agency. |
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| Etihad Rail transports 350 passengers in exceptional operation
United Arab Emirates: Etihad Rail has safe and efficient transported more than 350 passengers between Al Ghuwaifat Station in the Al Dhafra region in Abu Dhabi and Al Faya Station in Abu Dhabi as part its 'exceptional' services. |
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| Room cancelations at 80% and 1m airline passengers affected - tourism feels impact of US-Iran war
Saudi Arabia: The Middle East’s tourism and hospitality sector faces severe disruption as the widening Iran war shuts down airspace and forces widespread flight cancelations, stranding travelers and upending travel plans across the region. |
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| Etihad Airways suspends all flights until March 2
United Arab Emirates: Etihad Airways has announced that it will suspend all flights until 2am on March 2 following the temporary closure of the airspace of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) amid the ongoing Middle East conflict. |
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| Over 3k flights cancelled across the Middle East after attack on Iran by the US, Israel
Saudi Arabia: US and Israeli strikes on Iran led to widespread airspace shutdowns in the Middle East, canceling and rerouting thousands of flights and paralyzing key international travel corridors. |
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| Gulf airspace closures trigger global travel disruption
United Arab Emirates: Aviation across the Gulf and beyond descended into turmoil after US and Israeli strikes on Iran triggered retaliatory missile and drone attacks across the region, forcing several Gulf states to shut or restrict their airspace and suspend commercial flights. |
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| UAE says state will bear cost of hosting of stranded passengers
United Arab Emirates: The General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) of the United Arab Emirates has announced that the State is bearing all hosting and accommodation costs for affected and stranded passengers, ensuring the continued provision of essential services during the period of operational adjustments. |
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| Dubai airport sustains damage from Iranian missile strike, four injured
Saudi Arabia: Dubai’s international airport sustained damage during an overnight Iranian attack on sites across the Arab Gulf states, Dubai Airports said early on Sunday, confirming earlier reports. |
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| Dubai Aerospace to buy Macquarie AirFinance in $7bn deal
United Arab Emirates: Dubai Aerospace Enterprise said on Thursday it will buy aircraft leasing firm Macquarie AirFinance for an enterprise value of about $7 billion, creating a combined fleet of 1,029 planes and one of the world’s biggest lessors. |
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| From 2 hours to 30 minutes: Qiddiya Bullet Train to cut Riyadh travel time by 75%
Saudi Arabia: Qiddiya is set to become significantly more accessible under plans to link the entertainment and tourism hub to King Salman International Airport and the King Abdullah Financial District through the new Qiddiya Bullet Train, Asharq Al Awsat reported. |
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| Jazeera Airways introduces ‘fly now, pay later’ option
Kuwait: Jazeera Airways, Kuwait’s leading low-cost carrier, is the first Kuwaiti airline to launch deema, Kuwait’s first licensed "Buy Now, Pay Later" (BNPL) payment solution. |
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| flynas boosts seat capacity 20pc, offers over 1.7m seats during Ramadan
Saudi Arabia: flynas, a low-cost carrier, announced the availability of more than 1.7 million seats during Ramadan 2026, marking a 20% increase in seat capacity compared to the same period last year, across its domestic and international network. |
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| Saudi Rail carries record 14m passengers, 30m tonnes freight in 2025
Saudi Arabia: Saudi Arabia Railways (SAR) has announced that it has achieved record-breaking operational milestones in 2025, transporting over 14 million passengers and 30 million tonnes of freight. |
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| Saudi airports and airlines soar with high on-time performance in September: GACA
Saudi Arabia’s major airports and national airlines demonstrated strong on-time performance in September, according to a monthly report from the General Authority of Civil Aviation. |
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| Kuwait Airways signs cooperation protocol with LuLu Hypermarket
As part of its ongoing efforts to strengthen commercial partnerships and expand cooperation across multiple sectors, Kuwait Airways has announced the signing of a joint cooperation protocol with LuLu Hypermarket Kuwait. The agreement aims to enhance trade exchange, which will positively impact the local economy, and open new opportunities in various fields that serve the interests of both parties, while positively impacting their customers. |
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| Riyadh Air putting sustainability up front as it scales: CEO
Saudi Arabia’s newest airline Riyadh Air intends to be a thought leader in environmental sustainability while growing its global reach, its CEO has said. |
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| Saudia to add 12 passenger aircraft, expand cargo fleet by 2026
Saudi Arabia’s flag carrier, Saudia, plans to receive 12 new passenger aircraft and purchase cargo planes by 2026, part of a broader order of 191 aircraft for the airline and Adel Aviation, a senior official said. |
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| Riyadh Metro spurs residential property boom: Knight Frank
The opening of the Riyadh Metro has transformed the Saudi capital’s housing market, with villa prices near stations jumping as much as 78 percent since 2023, according to a new report. |
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| Saudi ride-hailing trips surge 78% in Q3, topping 39m
Saudi Arabia’s ride-hailing sector witnessed a major surge during the third quarter of 2025, reaching 39.04 million trips thanks to a 78 percent year-on-year increase, according to the Transport General Authority. |
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| French Alstom deepens Saudi railway involvement with 12 active projects
French transport firm Alstom is executing 12 active railway projects across Saudi Arabia, revealed the company’s CEO for Saudi Arabia and the Middle East. |
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| Riyadh Air ready for take-off with first flight to London on Oct. 26
Announced at its headquarters in the Kingdom’s capital, Riyadh Air is officially taking to the skies — and it’s earlier than you think. |
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| Middle Eastern airlines see 8.4% passenger growth in August: IATA
Middle Eastern airlines recorded the second-highest passenger traffic growth globally in August, rising 8.4 percent year on year, underscoring the sector’s resilience despite geopolitical tensions, the International Air Transport Association said. |
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| KSA signs air transport agreements with 17 countries
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia signed a series of bilateral agreements and memoranda of understanding with 17 countries during the 42nd General Assembly of the UN International Civil Aviation Organization, the SPA reported on Tuesday. |
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| Jeddah airport opens expanded duty-free with global, local brands
Passengers traveling through Jeddah airport are set to experience a new duty-free zone, offering global and local brands as Saudi Arabia expands its aviation sector. |
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| Saudi carrier flynas secures $134m Murabaha facility for fleet expansion
Saudi Arabia’s budget carrier flynas has signed a SR504 million ($134.4 million) Murabaha facility with Saudi Awwal Bank to finance the delivery of new Airbus A320neo aircraft, strengthening its ongoing fleet expansion drive. |
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| Kuwait Airways to resume Colombo flights in October
Kuwait Airways announced that it will resume commercial flights to Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka, starting October 26. The national carrier will operate four weekly flights on Sundays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. |
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| Kuwait Airways and Impulse sign strategic agreement
In a significant step towards enhancing its digital transformation journey, Kuwait Airways signed a Master Services Agreement (MSA) with Impulse International for Telecommunications, laying the foundation for adopting the latest IT services and applications within Kuwait Airways’ digital transformation initiative. |
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| Kuwait Airways, STC sign coop. protocol
Kuwait Airways and Kuwait Telecommunications Company (STC) signed a protocol to promote their cooperation in several fields, mainly telecommunications and aviation, and to exchange integrated and innovative services. |
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| UAE air traffic climbs 6.2% as airports handle 75.4m passengers in H1
The UAE’s civil aviation sector posted robust growth in the first half of 2025, with passenger traffic climbing 5 percent to 75.4 million, up from 71.7 million a year earlier, according to the Emirates News Agency or WAM. |
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| Kuwait Airways advances fleet growth amid delivery delays
Kuwait Airways is pushing ahead with plans to develop the national carrier and strengthen its position among the leading airlines in the Gulf, despite ongoing challenges related to aircraft delivery delays and regional geopolitical tensions. |
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| Saudi Arabia’s transportation boom opens doors for private investment
Saudi Arabia’s rapidly expanding transportation sector is unlocking new investment opportunities for private players, both local and global, experts have told Arab News. |
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| Dubai International Airport marks busiest first half on record with 46 million guests
United Arab Emirates: Dubai International (DXB) welcomed 46 million guests in the first six months of 2025, marking its busiest first half on record. |
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| Etihad Airways' first Airbus A321LR to enter commercial service on August 1
United Arab Emirates: Etihad Airways’ first Airbus A321LR aircraft is set to enter commercial service on 1st August 2025 after undergoing final preparations. |
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| UAE grants approval for first national trial of autonomous baggage handling vehicles at DWC
United Arab Emirates: The UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), in close coordination with Dubai Airports and dnata, has issued the country’s first regulatory approval for the trial of autonomous baggage handling vehicles at Dubai World Central - Al Maktoum International (DWC) |
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| Abu Dhabi Airports welcomes 15.8 million passenger in H1
United Arab Emirates: Abu Dhabi Airports announced that it welcomed over 15.8 million passengers between 1st January and 30th June 2025, marking a notable 13.1 per cent increase compared to the same period in 2024. |
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| Abu Dhabi Airports welcomes 15.8 million passenger in H1
United Arab Emirates: Abu Dhabi Airports announced that it welcomed over 15.8 million passengers between 1st January and 30th June 2025, marking a notable 13.1 per cent increase compared to the same period in 2024. |
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| New Dammam based-budget ariline gets approval
Saudi Arabia: Saudi Arabia has granted a low-cost airline license to an Air Arabia-led consortium, aiming to boost air connectivity, create jobs, and upgrade transport in the Eastern Province |
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| Emirates boosts services to Dublin with a third daily flight
United Arab Emirates: In a significant enhancement to its Irish operations, Emirates is set to operate a third daily service to Dublin this winter starting from 26 October 2025. The world’s largest international airline will offer customers more travel choices to Dubai and beyond, as well as increased cargo capacity to/from Dublin. |
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| Etihad Airways, SKY express sign codeshare partnership
United Arab Emirates: Etihad Airways has signed a codeshare agreement with Greek regional carrier SKY express, opening access to 24 Greek island destinations and three additional Eastern Mediterranean cities for customers travelling via Athens. |
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| Saudia, flyadeal rise high in Cirium’s June punctuality rankings
Saudia emerged as the world’s most punctual airline in June, topping global rankings for both on-time departures and arrivals, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium. |
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| Air France eyes daily Paris-Riyadh flights amid soaring demand
Air France is planning to operate daily flights between Paris and Riyadh, a senior airline official told Arab News in an exclusive interview. |
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| Saudi Arabia, France civil aviation authorities discuss boosting cooperation
A delegation from the Saudi civil aviation sector, led by General Authority of Civil Aviation President Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al-Duailej, visited the Airbus factory in Toulouse, France, as part of the 55th Paris Air Show at Le Bourget, which ends on June 22. |
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| Riyadh Air to launch new destination every 2 months as 787 deliveries near
Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh Air is gearing up to introduce a new international destination every two months once it begins operations, as the carrier prepares to receive its first Boeing 787 aircraft. |
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| PIF’s AviLease to acquire up to 77 Airbus jets in expansion drive
Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund-owned AviLease has signed a deal to purchase up to 77 Airbus aircraft, further expanding its next-generation, fuel-efficient fleet to meet rising global demand across passenger and cargo operations. |
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| Riyadh Air orders up to 50 Airbus A350 jets to expand long-haul fleet
Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh Air has signed a deal to acquire up to 50 Airbus A350-1000 aircraft as it gears up to launch operations later this year. |
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| Saudi airline flynas’ IPO oversubscribed by nearly 350%
Saudi low-cost carrier flynas finalized its initial public offering share allocation at SR80 ($21) per share, the top of its indicated range, following robust demand from institutional and retail investors. |
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| Middle East airlines to lead global profit margins in 2025, IATA says
Middle East airlines are forecast to post the world’s highest net profit margin in 2025 of 8.7 percent, outpacing global peers, according to the latest industry report. |
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| Global production of sustainable aviation fuel to reach 2m tonnes in 2025: IATA
Global sustainable aviation fuel production is expected to double to reach 2 million tonnes in 2025 compared to the previous year, according to the International Air Transport Association. |
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| Saudi Arabia’s Jeddah airport soars to top three in Middle East airport rankings
King Abdulaziz International Airport has secured third place in the 2024 Airport Connectivity Index for the Middle East, marking a significant milestone in Saudi Arabia’s ascent as a global aviation hub. |