UAE-Syria flight diverted to Saudi mid-way amid Israel-Iran conflict
This comes as the heightened conflict between Iran and Israel entered its third day, with the two arch foes exchanging attacks and deadly strikes.
Iran has launched fresh attacks on Israel on Sunday with ballistic missiles, state media said, as sirens sounded in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.
The Syrian airline took to X to confirm that flight RB 502 was allowed to land in Saudi Tabuk airport after changing its route on Saturday, "due to ongoing tensions in the region".
All passengers and crew are safe, it added while thanking Saudi authorities for their cooperation and for allowing the passengers to leave the airport and stay at a hotel in Tabuk.
The ongoing Israel-Iran conflict has disrupted flight operations in the region and caused route chaos worldwide. UAE airlines were forced to extend flight cancellations on Sunday due to the tensions.
Airports in the UAE also advised travellers to check the status of their flights with the airline, as airspace has been closed by some countries.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Khaleej Times
43 minutes ago
- Khaleej Times
UAE: Visa waiver for some Pakistani passport holders comes into effect at all airports
The UAE and Pakistan have activated a visa waiver for diplomatic and official passport holders, said Ishaq Dar, deputy prime minister and foreign minister of Pakistan. In a statement on social media platform X, Dar said he met Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs earlier this week, where he was informed that the visa waiver has come into effect from July 25, 2025. The two countries signed a visa exemption agreement for diplomatic and official passports in the last week of July during the 12th session of the Pakistan-UAE Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC) in Abu Dhabi. "In my meeting at Abu Dhabi on June 24, 2025, with my brother Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of UAE, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, we agreed mutual visa waivers on diplomatic and official passports between our two brotherly countries and we both signed a Memorandum of Understanding to make this arrangement effective and operative after 30 days of the signing of the said MoU. "I am pleased to confirm that I have been informed by the UAE authorities that the visa waiver for diplomatic and official Pakistani passports entering the UAE has been activated, effective July 25, 2025, at all UAE airports,' Dar said. On the reciprocal basis, he added that similar arrangements have also been activated for UAE nationals at all Pakistani airports. The UAE and Pakistan have close diplomatic, cultural and trade ties. There are over 1.7 million Pakistanis living and working in the UAE. In addition, hundreds of thousands of tourists from Pakistan visit the Gulf country every year. Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has visited the UAE numerous times ever since he took office. Importantly, this waiver is only for diplomatic and official passport holders and it is not applicable for ordinary passports.
Zawya
3 hours ago
- Zawya
ADFD advances Maldives aviation sector through the Inauguration of Velana International Airport project
Abu Dhabi, UAE – Aligned with its commitment to its strategic sustainable development goals, Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD) participated in the inauguration the Velana International Airport, a landmark project that aims to significantly enhance Maldives' infrastructure. With a total investment of AED 330.5 million (USD 90 million) from ADFD, the project was implemented in two phases, receiving co-financing from Saudi Fund for Development, Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development, and OPEC Fund for International Development. This cooperation highlights the shared commitment of regional development institutions to support high impact projects in developing nations to contribute to an inclusive, sustainable growth. Attending the inauguration ceremony, which coincided with Maldives' 60th independence anniversary, were His Excellency Dr. Mohamed Muizzu, President of the Republic of Maldives, His Excellency Mohamed Saif Al Suwaidi, Director-General of ADFD, and His Excellency Rahma bin Abdulrahman Al Shamsi, UAE Ambassador to the Republic of Maldives, along with senior officials from both nations and from Saudi Fund for Development, Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development, and OPEC Fund for International Development. ADFD's funding played a critical role in enhancing the operational capacity of Velana International Airport, accommodating over 7 million passengers annually meeting the nation's growing travel demand. The project included the expansion of the airport's western passenger terminal, the implementation of 26 passenger boarding bridges, and the construction of a state-of-the-art international terminal. These enhancements reinforce the Maldives' position as a key hub for commercial, tourism, and investment activities, and underscore the Fund's commitment to supporting impactful, sustainable projects that improve the quality of life in communities. H.E. Dr. Mohamed Muizzu, President of the Republic of Maldives, during the ceremony, expressed his sincere appreciation to His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, for the continuous support from the UAE to advance Maldives' national goals. He said: "ADFD's financing of Velana International Airport, in partnership with international collaborators, reflects our shared commitment to achieving sustainable development goals and demonstrates a long-term strategic vision for infrastructure development and growth in developing nations. The opening of this airport will further enhance the Maldives' position in the global aviation sector." His Excellency Mohamed Saif Al Suwaidi, Director-General of ADFD, highlighted that this collaborative development is a testament to ADFD's dedication to supporting the sustainable development goals of its partner nations. He reaffirmed the Fund's mission towards strengthening strategic partnerships between regional development institutions and international organizations, fostering broader and more sustainable developmental impacts. Al Suwaidi said: 'Through our partnership with the Government of Maldives and regional development institutions, we have collectively contributed to country's economic and social growth. Coinciding with the Maldives' Independence Day celebrations, the inauguration of Velana International Airport underscores our ongoing commitment to ensuring greater resource efficiency and supporting our partner nations to build a resilient economy and prosperous future.' ADFD's partnership with Maldives dates to 1978. Over the past four decades, the Fund financed 11 strategic projects with a total investment of AED 1.11 billion, spanning across key sectors including transportation, tourism, healthcare, and energy. ADFD played a critical role in supporting Maldives' economic activities and enabling the country to achieve its sustainable development objectives.
Khaleej Times
5 hours ago
- Khaleej Times
Etihad Airways sees 2025 profits surpassing Dh1.7 billion, to announce H1 results soon
Etihad Airways is expected to surpass its record Dh1.7 billion 2024 profit this year, the airline's CEO Antonoaldo Neves told Khaleej Times in an interview. The company maintained its record profit growth this year, reaching Dh685 million in the first quarter of 2025, an increase of 30 per cent year-on-year. 'We already revealed second-quarter results to our board. So the first half numbers are good. We keep generating cash. The airline is doing well, and forward bookings are looking good. We're confident as a lot of new aircraft will arrive by the end of the year,' Neves said. 'In terms of profitability, we don't give guidance, but we expect it to be better than last year,' he said in reply to expectations about this year's profits. 'We're excited and confident. But this is an industry that is very volatile. So we need to be really paying attention to everything. It's only over when it's over.' In terms of passengers, Neves said Etihad Airways is expected to reach 20 million passengers this year. Last year, it carried 17.5 million. 'We're probably going to end up at 21.5 million,' he said. The UAE national airline carried 5 million passengers during the first quarter, with load factor improving to 87 per cent. Record profits Many UAE airlines have been reporting record profits on the back of strong growth in the travel and tourism sector. In May, the UAE flag carrier Emirates hit a new record profit after tax of Dh19.1 billion, outstripping last year's Dh17.2 billion. This was the best performance in the airline's history and the airline industry for the reporting year 2024-25. Similarly, flydubai announced record-breaking annual results for its financial year ending December 21, 2024. The Dubai-based carrier marks its strongest-ever financial performance in its 15-year history, reporting a pre-tax profit of Dh2.5 billion, a 16 per cent growth compared to the previous financial year with a total revenue of Dh12.8 billion ($3.5 billion), marking an increase of 15% compared to Dh11.2 billion ($3 billion) in 2023. The new milestone was driven by the strength of flydubai's diverse network as well as its strong and agile business model.
