Second Order

Riyadh airport shut: Etihad cuts flights through 13 October

2026-10-11T13:50:24.000Z

Etihad, Emirates, flydubai and Air Arabia cancelled Riyadh flights on 11 October after King Khalid airport closed following a Houthi attack on 10 October.

What it means: Etihad has also cancelled EY559/EY560 on 12 October, EY551/EY552 on 13 October and some Dammam and Jeddah services on both days; Emirates lists EK815/816 and EK819/820 cancelled on 12 October. The aviation notice gave no date for passenger flights to resume.

Source: The National

Schengen visa appointments from the UAE are now available only after 45 days for some countries and up to two months for others, travel agents said.

What it means: Booked on 11 October, a 45-day wait ends on 25 November and a two-month wait on 11 December, after National Day on Wednesday, 2 December; the length of the holiday break has not been announced.

Source: Khaleej Times

US forces disabled the Panama-flagged bulk carrier Ocean Molica in the Gulf of Oman on 10 October after it ignored warnings and tried to run the blockade of Iran, CENTCOM said.

What it means: Reuters reports Hormuz transits at their lowest in more than two months, with attacks on tankers in the preceding week at their highest of the war.

Source: gCaptain

Vessel hit by projectile 13 nautical miles off the UAE

2026-10-10T13:49:26.000Z

A vessel was struck by an unknown projectile about 13 nautical miles west of Al Jazeera, UAE, on 9 October, UKMTO said; a fire on board was put out.

What it means: Maritime security sources said the strike was outside the Hormuz area, a widening of risk; a tanker was hit off Qatar, also inside the Gulf, days earlier. Two shipping and security sources named the ship as the laden supertanker GEM NO.2.

Source: gCaptain

An Abu Dhabi court ordered a bank to refund a customer Dh92,854, clear his credit card debt and issue a no-liability certificate after it could not prove he agreed to the interest and fees.

What it means: The bank said the card application and fee terms were lost in a fire; the court expert then recalculated at simple legal interest, removing compound interest and unproven fees: Dh1.605 million paid against Dh1.403 million drawn.

Source: Khaleej Times

Dubai's Rental Disputes Center closed 2,350 tenant-landlord cases by amicable settlement from January to September 2026, worth Dh401 million, in six days on average.

What it means: A settlement approved by the supervising judge is enforceable like a court ruling; the six-day average covers only settled cases, not disputes that go on to a final judgment.

Source: Khaleej Times

Dubai's RTA now sells digital Nol QR tickets in the Nol Pay and S'hail apps, valid on the metro, trams and buses in place of the single-use red paper ticket.

What it means: Tickets can be bought up to 90 days ahead and are valid from first use until midnight the same day; silver, gold and personal Nol cards stay in use.

Source: The National

UAE GDP fell 2.1% in Q2; first half still up 0.4%

2026-10-09T13:51:24.000Z

UAE real GDP fell 2.1% year on year to Dh476.9 billion in Q2 2026, leaving first-half growth at 0.4% (Dh961.9 billion), the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre said.

What it means: GDP grew 6.2% in 2025. In Q2 non-oil activity fell 1.1%, with tourism, transport and trade hit hardest, while finance and insurance grew 14.8% in the first half.

Source: The National

Saudi Arabia's civil aviation authority said three Saudi citizens were killed in two missile attacks on Riyadh's King Khalid airport on 8 October that hit a Saudia aircraft and airport facilities.

What it means: Riyadh flights, first suspended on 7 October, were gradually returning to normal on 9 October; the Houthis claimed the strike, saying they used two cruise missiles.

Source: The National

Iran has warned regional countries that any attempt to open new oil export routes would be treated as hostile, a senior regional official close to Tehran told Reuters.

What it means: The routes in question: Gulf producers have been moving oil along the Omani side of the strait and transferring it in the Gulf of Oman with US aerial support, Reuters sources said.

Source: MarineLink

President Trump said on 8 October he had no intention of ordering attacks on Iran before the US midterm elections in November.

What it means: The pledge covers strikes, not the strait: Trump also said the US blockade of Iranian shipments through Hormuz stays in full force.

Source: The National

Tanker hit 51 nautical miles off Qatar, west of Hormuz

2026-10-08T13:50:35.000Z

The tanker Acers was struck by multiple projectiles on 7 October about 51 nautical miles north of Madinat ash Shamal, Qatar, per Vanguard; UKMTO confirmed the attack and reported casualties.

What it means: Splash247 calls it the first reported attack outside the strait since Iranian strikes on shipping resumed on 28 September; at least a dozen tankers and gas carriers were reportedly targeted around Hormuz from 28 September to 5 October.

Source: Splash247

Wizz Air cancelled all flights to and from Abu Dhabi and Dubai for the winter season, 25 October 2026 to 27 March 2027, citing longer routings under regional airspace restrictions.

What it means: On 5 October the airline had delayed only some Abu Dhabi routes, to January; the cancellations hit a planned restoration of 12 routes and 49 weekly flights across the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Jordan.

Source: The National

After Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia on 7 October, flydubai cancelled its Dubai–Abha services and Air Arabia its Sharjah–Abha flights on 7 and 8 October.

What it means: Air Arabia expects normal service from Friday, 9 October; KLM has cancelled all Riyadh and Dammam flights and Air France has suspended Riyadh flights, both until 24 October.

Source: The National

Etihad Rail confirmed demand-based fares: Abu Dhabi–Dubai Comfort tickets now cost Dh39–59 and Premium Dh109–149, against launch fares of Dh39 and Dh109.

What it means: Rises fall mainly on afternoon, evening and weekend trains, and the time of booking also sets the price; many Abu Dhabi–Dubai and Abu Dhabi–Fujairah trips sell out in advance.

Source: The National

Dubai Q3 home sales value down 47% to Dh72.6bn

2026-10-07T13:51:21.000Z

Dubai home sales totalled Dh72.6 billion in Q3 2026, down 47% on a year earlier, and transactions fell 38% to 34,000, according to Cavendish Maxwell.

What it means: Over nine months, deals fell 23% to 112,580 and value 27% to Dh292 billion; S&P Global Ratings, citing industry reports, puts the price fall since end-2025 at 5% to 15%.

Source: The National

A Dubai Municipality circular lists more than 44 areas where buildings and villas may offer shared housing; on Sheikh Zayed, Jumeirah, Al Wasl and Bani Yas roads only family sharing is allowed.

What it means: Owners and leasing firms have one year from 8 September to regularise buildings; bedrooms need at least 5 square metres per person; fines run from Dh500 to Dh500,000.

What to do: Renting or letting a shared unit? Check the area is on the Dubai Municipality circular's list.

Source: Khaleej Times

The tanker On Peace, owned by Dubai-based Onex, was struck by a projectile in the Strait of Hormuz on 6 October; 12 of its 19 crew were injured and evacuated by Oman to Khasab.

What it means: Splash247 counts 93 ships hit and 24 seafarers killed since the US-Iran war began in late February.

Source: Splash247

Hormuz: four tanker attacks disclosed on 5 October

2026-10-06T13:51:30.000Z

UKMTO issued notices of four tanker attacks and one IRGC threat to a vessel near Hormuz on 5 October; three of the attacks dated from 3 and 4 October.

What it means: Delayed notices mean a day's tally firms up only later: JMIC's 4 October update had already counted four confirmed tanker strikes on 2-3 October and says attacks continue along the Omani side.

Source: gCaptain

Dubai Police arrested two suspects accused of phone scams in which callers posed as staff of official and international bodies and got residents to send money abroad; losses were Dh11,877,532.

What it means: The script, per police: your name is in a case abroad, transfer funds for 'verification' and they come back; some victims were then told to sell gold jewellery and cut contact from a hotel room.

What to do: Got such a call? Dubai Police take reports on 901 or via the eCrime platform.

Source: Khaleej Times

Saudi Arabia's civil aviation authority said attacks on Jizan and Najran airports on 6 October caused three minor injuries; FlightRadar24 said Riyadh flights were on hold for a few hours.

Source: The National

The UAE's economic partnership agreement with the Eurasian Economic Union (Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia) entered into force on 6 October, cutting or removing tariffs.

What it means: It covers more than 86% of tariff lines and about 96% of the value of goods now traded; UAE-EAEU non-oil trade was $33.6 billion in 2025, up 16% on 2024.

Source: Khaleej Times

Dubai's Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation will give priority to perishable food shipments at its ports, its chairman said, as berthing delays at some regional ports shorten produce shelf life.

What to do: Importer facing a disputed Dubai port charge? PCFC takes complaints via channels on the Dubai Trade portal.

Source: Khaleej Times

UAE firms raise prices at fastest pace since 2011

2026-10-05T13:54:50.000Z

UAE non-oil firms raised output prices in September at the steepest rate since May 2011, S&P Global's PMI survey showed; the index held at 55.3, unchanged from August.

What it means: Dubai output price inflation was the fastest since January 2014 as firms passed on higher input costs; S&P Global says volatile oil and constrained shipping may keep prices elevated.

Source: The National

Wizz Air pushed the launch of its Abu Dhabi routes from Poland, Bulgaria, Romania, Cyprus and Hungary from late October to 10 January 2027.

What it means: Wizz Air says Iraq's continued airspace closure forces longer routings and refuelling stops for its A321neo jets, which with high fuel costs makes the routes commercially unviable.

What to do: Booked on these routes before 10 January 2027? Wizz Air says it will contact affected customers with options.

Source: The National

Saudi Aramco set November Arab Light for Asia at $5 a barrel below the regional benchmark, from $2 in October, a six-year low, according to a Bloomberg survey.

What it means: JPMorgan puts Middle East oil shipments at 98% of pre-war levels; with flows recovering, Saudi Arabia is cutting price to compete for market share in Asia.

Source: The National

Yemen's government forces said on 5 October they seized positions around Bab al-Mandeb and Dhubab; the Saudi-led coalition said 100 fighter jets are involved in the offensive.

What it means: The coalition says 324 Houthi targets were destroyed, a claim the Houthis have not confirmed; Saudi Arabia's stated aim is to restore free traffic in the Red Sea.

Source: The National

Abu Dhabi's Department of Municipalities and Transport said phase one of the Dh2.85bn Mid-Island Parkway is on track for 2027, cutting Saadiyat to Reem travel from 25 to 10 minutes.

Source: Khaleej Times