Saudi Flight Disruptions Continue: Your Refund Rights

Flight disruptions continued across Saudi Arabia in October 2026, with cancellations and delays reported at airports in Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, Taif, Abha and elsewhere. مطار الملك خالد الدولي in Riyadh was suspended through 17 October 2026, while مطار الملك عبدالعزيز الدولي in Jeddah and King Fahd International Airport in Dammam remained operational but affected by delays and cancellations.

If your flight is cancelled, you have clear options. You may accept the alternative flight offered by the airline, or cancel your booking and receive a full refund — including any seat-selection and baggage fees you paid.

Compensation Based on Notice

Where an airline cancels your flight, compensation is tied to how much notice you receive. If you are notified between 60 and 14 days before departure, compensation is 50% of the remaining ticket value. If notice falls between 14 days and 24 hours before departure, it rises to 75%. If you are told less than 24 hours before departure, compensation is 150% of the remaining ticket value.

Compensation does not apply when a cancellation results from force majeure or from approved safety or security reasons. There is no fixed fee for requesting a refund or the statutory percentage compensation.

To claim, request the refund or compensation directly from the airline first. If the airline does not resolve your claim, you can submit a passenger complaint through the passenger-rights service of the General Authority of Civil Aviation.

With disruptions ongoing, travellers are advised to check their flight status before heading to the airport and to keep records of any fees paid, which supports both refund and compensation requests.

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