Gulf air travel experienced widespread disruptions at several major airports on December 19 due to technical and operational issues, including Hamad International Airport in Doha and King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Qatari Okaz reported.

King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh experienced significant delays affecting numerous domestic and international flights, leading to passenger congestion inside the airport terminals.

The airport stated in an official release that the delays resulted from a combination of operational factors over the past two days due to storms in the Persian Gulf, including the diversion of flights from other airports to Riyadh, as well as scheduled maintenance work on the fuel supply system, which affected some flight schedules including postponements or cancellations.

Saudi Arabian Airlines stated that a temporary operational challenge at the airport affected operational procedures for several airlines including Saudia, resulting in delays and cancellations of some departing and arriving flights.

The disruptions come during a busy travel period and affected multiple carriers operating through the affected airports with people trying to fly home for the Christmas holidays.

The combination of weather and technical issues led to passenger congestion at terminals as airlines worked to rebook and accommodate affected travellers.

King Khalid International Airport serves as a major hub for Saudi Arabian Airlines and handles domestic and international flights connecting the kingdom to destinations across the Middle East, Europe, Asia and Africa.