PNN – Arab media have reported the cancellation of flights between several Arab countries and Saudi Arabia following a warning from Yemen.
According to the report of Pakistan News Network; following Yemen’s warning to airlines regarding the use of Saudi airspace—issued in the wake of the Kingdom’s brazen aggression against Sana’a Airport—Arab media reported today, Wednesday, that airlines from Persian Gulf states and several other Arab nations have announced the cancellation of their flights to and from Saudi Arabia.
According to Al-Masirah, the repercussions of Yemen’s retaliatory strike on Abha Airport—launched following the Saudi aggression against Sana’a Airport—continue to compound the damage inflicted on the Saudi regime; Riyadh’s insistence on persisting with its aggression and blockade is effectively turning into a suicidal move that threatens to wipe out the few gains it has managed to secure.
Amidst Western warnings regarding the risks of traveling to Saudi Arabia via Abha Airport following the Yemeni attack, Gulf media outlets have reported a continued reluctance among Arab and international airlines to utilize Saudi airports.
In this context, Emirati media announced that airlines from the UAE and Saudi Arabia have cancelled flights to and from Abha Airport, reflecting a lingering fear of further Yemeni operations.
Citing a spokesperson for Flydubai, these media outlets reported that the airline has decided to cancel its flights to Abha and Najran and has notified passengers accordingly.
Meanwhile, EgyptAir also announced the cancellation of its flights to Abha Airport; this indicates that the repercussions of operations targeting Abha Airport—in addition to growing international reluctance to use Saudi airspace—continue to force Saudi authorities to suspend air traffic.
These developments coincide with the Canadian government advising its citizens against traveling to Saudi Arabia via Abha Airport, signaling that if Riyadh’s aggression and blockade against Yemen persist, the Kingdom could face international isolation in the aviation sector.
These events also confirm that international airlines are taking the warnings issued by Yemeni armed forces seriously, leaving the Saudi regime with no choice but to heed Yemeni demands.
It is worth noting that, alongside extending the suspension of flights at Abha Airport, the Saudi regime has announced the continued closure of three other airports—a move that underscores the extent of its concern regarding a repeat of Yemen’s retaliatory actions.
Amidst the ongoing Saudi blockade of Yemen’s airports and ports, Saudi Arabia’s aviation sector is facing a threat; Yemeni armed forces—in an initial response to the continued closure of Yemeni airports, particularly Sana’a International Airport following a brazen Saudi attack that drew a retaliatory response—have issued warnings to airlines regarding flights through Saudi airspace.
Air traffic in Saudi Arabia is linked to an extensive network of ground handling, maintenance, catering, and air cargo services, as well as airport operators; this means that any disruption to airspace has a direct impact on the entire aviation system.
In this context, if any airspace warnings are disregarded, Saudi Arabia’s aviation system could face disruptions—such as flight delays and cancellations, aircraft rerouting, and increased operational costs. These disruptions could also impact aviation assets, critical infrastructure, and transit flights, potentially forcing aircraft to utilize longer and more expensive alternative routes.
Following Saudi Arabia’s recent hostile actions against Yemen—undertaken in collaboration with the American-Zionist enemy—the political and military leadership in Sana’a emphasized that its warning to airlines regarding flights through Saudi airspace is a response to the ongoing blockade imposed on Yemeni airports; the lifting of this ban is contingent upon the lifting of the blockade on these airports, which have been under siege for ten years.