Hundreds Of Passengers Trapped Around Kuwait Today As Jazeera Airways, Qatar Airways, Kuwait Airways, IndiGo, Saudia, And Others Cancel 74 And Delay 4 Flights, Disrupting Dubai, Cairo, Doha, Mumbai, Istanbul And More

Hundreds of passengers were stranded in Kuwait today as 78 cancellations and delays hit Kuwait International Airport (KWI), triggering widespread disruption across key Gulf, South Asian, and international routes. The airlines most affected include Kuwait Airways (9 cancellations, 4 delays), IndiGo (8 cancellations), Jazeera Airways (8 cancellations), Qatar Airways (6 cancellations), EgyptAir (6 cancellations), Saudia (6 cancellations), and Flydubai (6 cancellations). Additional significant impacts were reported by Etihad Airways (5 cancellations), Gulf Air (5 cancellations), Emirates (4 cancellations) and Oman Air (4 cancellations).
Major airports impacted include Dubai International Airport, Cairo International Airport, Hamad International Airport in Doha, Abu Dhabi International Airport, and Bahrain International Airport, alongside disruptions affecting flights linked to Istanbul, Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Amsterdam, New York (JFK), Bangkok, Sialkot, Colombo, Jeddah, and Riyadh. The disruption pattern was heavily cancellation-driven, with minimal delay activity reported.
- Updated today: 74 cancellations and 4 delays were recorded at Kuwait International Airport.
- Kuwait Airways led disruptions with 9 cancellations and 4 delays.
- IndiGo and Jazeera Airways each cancelled 8 flights.
- Qatar Airways, EgyptAir, Saudia, and Flydubai each cancelled 6 flights.
- Dubai, Cairo, Doha, Abu Dhabi and Bahrain were among the most impacted connected airports.
- Long-haul routes including Amsterdam, New York (JFK) and Bangkok also saw complete cancellations on affected services.
- Delay activity was minimal compared to cancellations, signaling a severe operational halt rather than rolling delays.
Airlines Most Affected by Flight Cancellations and Delays
Kuwait Airways
Kuwait Airways recorded the highest combined disruption volume, with 9 cancellations and 4 delays, making it the only airline to register notable delay activity in addition to cancellations. As the national carrier, its operational scale amplified passenger impact across regional and international routes.
IndiGo
IndiGo saw 8 cancellations, with all affected flights fully cancelled and no delays reported. The disruption impacted connectivity between Kuwait and major Indian cities, affecting travelers bound for destinations such as Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Ahmedabad.
Jazeera Airways
Jazeera Airways also reported 8 cancellations, significantly affecting regional Gulf connectivity. As a key low-cost carrier operating extensive Middle East routes, the cancellations disrupted short-haul travel flows.
Qatar Airways
Qatar Airways recorded 6 cancellations, all without delays. The disruption impacted flights linked to Doha’s Hamad International Airport, affecting onward connections through Qatar.
EgyptAir
EgyptAir cancelled 6 flights, affecting services connected to Cairo International Airport. The cancellations interrupted traffic between Kuwait and Egypt, a key high-volume corridor.
Saudia and Flydubai
Both Saudia and Flydubai cancelled 6 flights each, disrupting travel between Kuwait and major Saudi and UAE hubs, including Jeddah and Dubai.
What Can Affected Passengers Do?
- Check official airline websites or mobile apps immediately for rebooking options, refund eligibility, or alternate routing, as reassignments are often processed digitally before airport counters can assist.
- Contact airline customer service directly and retain booking references, as compensation, meal vouchers, hotel stays, or alternate travel arrangements may depend on fare class and regulatory frameworks.
- Monitor official airport advisories and airline notifications closely, especially if traveling through major hubs such as Dubai, Doha, Cairo, or Abu Dhabi where onward connections may also be affected.
- Avoid arriving at the airport without confirmation of flight status, as high cancellation volumes may result in long queues and limited same-day rebooking capacity.
- Review travel insurance policies for coverage related to cancellations, missed connections, or accommodation reimbursement.
Overview of Flight Disruptions
Today’s disruption at Kuwait International Airport significantly affected air traffic across the Gulf and beyond. Airlines including Kuwait Airways, IndiGo, Jazeera Airways, Qatar Airways, EgyptAir, Saudia, Flydubai, Emirates, Etihad Airways, Gulf Air, and Oman Air faced widespread cancellations.
Key cities impacted include Kuwait City, Dubai, Cairo, Doha, Abu Dhabi, Manama, Jeddah, Riyadh, Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Istanbul, Amsterdam, New York, Bangkok, Colombo, and Sialkot. Countries most visibly affected include Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, India, Bahrain, Oman, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Thailand, Turkey, and the Netherlands.
The disruption pattern showed concentrated operational shutdowns rather than staggered delays, with cancellation percentages reaching 100% on several affected services. Regional Gulf routes between Kuwait and Dubai, Doha, Cairo, Abu Dhabi, and Bahrain were repeatedly impacted, alongside India-linked services connecting Kuwait with Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Ahmedabad.
Source: Different airports and FlightAware