Severe winter weather sweeping across parts of the Middle East and East Africa has thrown airline operations into turmoil, with at least 9 flights cancelled and more than 550 delayed across key hubs in Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Kenya over the past 24 hours. Turkish Airlines, Kenya Airways, Saudia and Royal Jordanian have all struggled to keep services on time as thunderstorms, heavy rain, low visibility and strong crosswinds disrupted airport operations from Riyadh to Amman and Nairobi, leaving thousands of passengers facing missed connections and improvised overnight stays.
Storm Systems Snarl Air Traffic From the Levant to East Africa
Meteorologists report that an unusual confluence of pressure systems over the eastern Mediterranean and Red Sea region funneled bands of unstable air across Jordan and Saudi Arabia on Sunday and into Monday, triggering intense localised storms and pockets of dense fog during key morning and evening departure banks. In Amman and Riyadh, air traffic controllers were periodically forced to reduce the rate of take offs and landings as visibility dipped and wind shear warnings lit up approach corridors.
Farther south, a parallel plume of moisture associated with the broader regional disturbance swept over Kenya, fueling powerful afternoon thunderstorms around Nairobi and Mombasa. Lightning activity and rapidly changing wind conditions prompted several temporary runway closures, forcing inbound flights to hold, divert or return to their origin airports. The knock on effects rippled through long haul schedules linking East Africa with the Gulf, Europe and Asia.
Airline operations teams described a fast moving environment in which flight plans were revised repeatedly over the course of the day. Crews timed out under duty regulations, aircraft wound up out of position and ground handling capacity was stretched as waves of delayed services arrived in tight clusters instead of their usual staggered pattern.
Riyadh and Jeddah Bear the Brunt in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia’s major international gateways in Riyadh and Jeddah experienced some of the heaviest disruption. At King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, low clouds and intermittent heavy rain led to extended arrival spacing on the main runways, slowing the flow of traffic at one of the kingdom’s busiest hubs. Saudia and a number of foreign carriers were forced to hold aircraft in the air or on the ground, pushing knock on delays deep into the evening.
In Jeddah, gusty crosswinds off the Red Sea combined with passing storm cells to complicate approach paths into King Abdulaziz International Airport. Airport sources reported several go arounds and diversions to alternate airports when wind shifts exceeded safe limits for certain aircraft types. The resulting congestion at departure gates contributed to further slippage in outbound schedules, with domestic links to cities such as Dammam, Madinah and Abha particularly hard hit.
While precise breakdowns varied by airline, Saudia’s network planners faced a complex puzzle as disruptions piled up on both domestic and international routes. Pilgrimage linked services, which already operate near capacity at this time of year, left little room to absorb irregular operations. Passengers connecting onward to Asia and Europe found that even modest delays on feeder legs from smaller Saudi cities were enough to cause missed long haul departures in Riyadh and Jeddah.
Amman’s Queen Alia Airport Sees Widespread Holdups
In Jordan, Amman’s Queen Alia International Airport contended with a mix of strong winds and periods of poor visibility, especially during the night and early morning wave. Royal Jordanian, which uses the airport as its primary hub, implemented a series of rolling delays as air traffic control reduced arrival and departure rates during the worst of the weather. A small number of flights were proactively cancelled when it became clear that rotations would become unsustainable later in the day.
Passengers reported long queues at check in counters and transfer desks as the airline worked to rebook missed connections to key destinations in Europe and the Gulf. Some short haul services to nearby regional cities were consolidated, with affected customers moved to later flights in order to free up aircraft and crews for longer haul operations that are harder to reschedule.
Royal Jordanian ground staff distributed meal vouchers and hotel accommodation to eligible travelers facing overnight delays, while urging all passengers to monitor their flight status through official channels rather than making unnecessary trips to the airport. Local transport around Amman was also slowed at times by heavy rain and standing water on some roads, adding further stress for those attempting to reach the terminal in time for rebooked departures.
Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta Hub Hit by Thunderstorms and Diversions
In Kenya, the most significant impact was felt at Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, the primary hub for Kenya Airways. Afternoon and evening thunderstorms built rapidly over the capital, pushing wind gusts and lightning intensity above operational thresholds for runway and apron activity. Several aircraft bound for Nairobi were instructed to enter holding patterns while storm cells passed overhead, with at least a few ultimately diverting to alternate airports when conditions failed to improve quickly enough.
Kenya Airways, which operates an extensive regional and intercontinental network from Nairobi, saw delays cascade through its schedule as arrival times slipped and aircraft rotations tightened. Short hop flights to destinations such as Entebbe, Dar es Salaam and Kigali left later than planned, compressing turnaround times and requiring swift coordination between flight crews, maintenance teams and ground handlers.
At the domestic terminal, passengers on services to Mombasa, Kisumu and Eldoret encountered rolling gate changes and delayed boarding as airport authorities temporarily paused ramp activities for safety reasons during lightning peaks. While only a limited number of flights were ultimately cancelled, the compounding effect of dozens of small delays left many travelers arriving several hours later than scheduled.
Turkish Airlines, Saudia, Royal Jordanian and Kenya Airways Confront Operational Headaches
The severe weather spelled particular challenges for Turkish Airlines, Saudia, Royal Jordanian and Kenya Airways, all of which operate busy connecting hubs in or near the affected region. Turkish Airlines, whose network links Istanbul to both Jeddah and Riyadh as well as Nairobi, saw delays on Middle East and East Africa sectors disrupt onward connections to Europe, North America and Asia. Even where Istanbul’s own weather remained manageable, the knock on effect of late arriving aircraft and crew displacements was unmistakable.
Saudia’s disruption was concentrated within Saudi Arabia and on key regional links. With large numbers of passengers traveling for business, religious visits and family reunions, the airline’s ability to rebook customers on later same day flights was constrained by relatively high load factors. At peak times, ground staff opted to prioritize maintaining long haul departures as close to schedule as possible, adjusting or consolidating some shorter regional sectors where necessary to free up aircraft and crews.
Royal Jordanian, operating a comparatively smaller hub in Amman, took a more proactive stance in selectively cancelling and merging lower demand flights to protect critical long haul services to Europe and North America. This approach helped limit the total number of outright cancellations but did result in a dense cluster of delays as the airline attempted to keep as much of its schedule operating as conditions would safely allow.
Kenya Airways’ position as the primary connector between East Africa and the rest of the world meant that even modest delays on inbound flights from regional cities such as Lusaka, Harare and Bujumbura had outsized effects on evening long haul departures. The airline activated contingency plans to prioritize flights with large numbers of connecting passengers and to reposition aircraft overnight once weather conditions stabilized.
Key Affected Cities and Routes Across Three Countries
Across Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Kenya, the most heavily affected cities included Riyadh, Jeddah, Amman and Nairobi, with secondary impacts felt at smaller regional airports that feed into these main hubs. In Saudi Arabia, domestic routes linking Riyadh and Jeddah with Dammam, Abha, Gassim and Tabuk suffered clusters of delays as slot restrictions at the main hubs rippled outward. International services between Saudi cities and key Gulf destinations such as Dubai, Doha and Manama also experienced knock on disruption due to regional weather volatility.
In Jordan, Amman’s Queen Alia International Airport saw delays on core Royal Jordanian routes to Beirut, Cairo, Baghdad and Gulf capitals, many of which are timed to connect with onward flights to Europe. Some passengers connecting through Amman to London, Paris and Frankfurt found themselves rebooked onto next day services or rerouted via alternative hubs when minimum connecting times could no longer be met.
Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta hub registered significant delays on Kenya Airways flights to and from regional gateways including Addis Ababa, Johannesburg, Lusaka and Maputo, in addition to domestic links to Mombasa and Kisumu. Long haul services to Europe, Asia and the Middle East, particularly those to Amsterdam, London and the Gulf, were not immune, with departure times pushed back to accommodate late inbound aircraft and ground safety restrictions during thunderstorm peaks.
Although the overall tally of 9 cancellations was relatively modest compared with the more than 550 delays recorded, the distribution of those cancellations on heavily booked connecting routes amplified their impact. Travelers on multi segment itineraries often found that a single cancelled short haul leg rendered the rest of their journey unworkable without significant rebooking.
What Travelers Need to Know About Rebooking and Passenger Rights
With airline call centers and airport service desks inundated, carriers urged passengers to make use of digital tools wherever possible. Turkish Airlines, Kenya Airways, Saudia and Royal Jordanian all activated flexible rebooking policies for customers whose flights were cancelled or subject to substantial delays. In many cases, travelers were permitted to move their journey to the nearest available date at no additional fare or change fee, provided they remained in the same cabin class and route.
For those whose trips could no longer be completed within a reasonable time frame, airlines signaled a willingness to provide refunds or travel vouchers, particularly where cancellations were involved. Passengers were advised to keep boarding passes, booking confirmations and receipts for any out of pocket expenses such as meals or accommodation, as these documents can be crucial when later seeking compensation under applicable regulations.
Industry experts note that weather related disruptions are typically classified as extraordinary circumstances, which may limit entitlement to cash compensation under some jurisdictions’ passenger rights frameworks. However, airlines remain obligated to provide care and assistance, including refreshments, communication facilities and hotel stays when necessary, especially when passengers are stranded overnight away from home.
Travelers are also encouraged to review the terms of any travel insurance policies they hold. Some products provide additional coverage for missed connections, extended delays or necessary hotel stays resulting from weather related disruption, supplementing what airlines are required to offer directly. Policyholders should contact their insurers promptly, as many require claims to be lodged within a specified timeframe after the disruption occurs.
Practical Tips for Passengers Navigating the Ongoing Disruption
With unsettled weather patterns forecast to persist intermittently across parts of the Middle East and East Africa in the coming days, aviation analysts advise travelers to build extra flexibility into their plans. Where possible, choosing earlier flights in the day can provide more rebooking options if delays arise, while avoiding tight connections between separate tickets can reduce the risk of becoming stranded mid journey.
Passengers already holding tickets with Turkish Airlines, Kenya Airways, Saudia or Royal Jordanian are strongly advised to monitor their booking status through official airline channels before leaving for the airport, as schedules may change at short notice. Enrolling in text or app based flight alerts can provide near real time updates on gate changes, revised departure times or aircraft swaps.
At the airport, travelers facing disruption should make a beeline for airline service desks or dedicated irregular operations counters as soon as an issue becomes clear. Those comfortable using smartphone apps or websites can often secure new itineraries faster online while queues build at physical desks. Keeping a calm, patient approach, and arriving prepared with alternative dates and routing preferences in mind, can help speed the process for both passengers and airline staff working under pressure.
For now, as clouds continue to hang over skyways from Riyadh and Amman to Nairobi, the immediate priority for carriers is to safely clear backlogs, reposition aircraft and crews, and gradually restore their networks to normal rhythm. Travelers planning to pass through the region in the short term should expect some lingering irregularities, but airlines are steadily chipping away at the disruption as the worst of the storms begin to move on.