Houthi attacks on Saudi airports cut new UAE Umrah bookings by half, operators say

Travel operators in the UAE report that new bookings and enquiries for Umrah packages have fallen by around 50 percent following recent Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabian airports. Operators say residents who had already booked are continuing with their trips, but potential travellers are waiting for more clarity before committing.

Flights rerouted, existing bookings hold

Umrah passengers whose flights to Riyadh were cancelled are being rebooked to Jeddah or Madinah, both key gateways for pilgrims travelling to Makkah. Operators confirm that scheduled group departures remain on track, though the conflict has made new customers cautious.

Shihab Perwad of Rehan Al Jazeera Tours and Travels said his company has not seen any cancellations from people who booked earlier. The decline, he said, is in fresh bookings and enquiries, including those for road travel.

“People who have already booked are not cancelling their Umrah trips,” Perwad said. “But new enquiries and bookings have reduced by around 50 per cent. This is happening for bus travel, and flight bookings have also come down.”

Perwad noted that this period normally marks the start of a busy Umrah season, with demand expected to rise further in December. The current situation, he said, has prompted many residents to wait before deciding when to travel.

“People are still booking flights to Jeddah and Madinah, and buses are also going from the UAE for Umrah trips,” he said. “But new bookings are not happening at the same level as before.”

Operators adjust routes, costs vary

Jaseem of Al Shammar Haj and Umrah Service said his company’s groups are operating as planned. Passengers whose Riyadh flights were cancelled have been moved to other Saudi airports instead.

“We have not received any cancellations so far, and our groups are on schedule,” Jaseem said. “Flights to Riyadh have been cancelled, but passengers tickets are being changed to Madinah or Jeddah. People can still travel for Umrah through these routes.”

He added that some residents are also considering travelling by bus. A bus package costs around Dh1,100 and takes about 10 days, while flight packages start from around Dh2,700.

Residents postpone plans, weigh options

Meeran, a Dubai resident who had been planning an Umrah trip to Makkah, said he has decided to postpone the journey because of the current situation.

“I was planning to travel to Makkah for Umrah soon, but I have decided to postpone the trip because of the current situation,” he said. “Even though flights are available to Jeddah and Madinah, I do not feel comfortable travelling at the moment.”

He said Umrah remained important to him, but he would rather wait until he could make the journey with peace of mind.

Fazil Akbar, a resident of Garhoud, said his family had been planning Umrah for the past two years and had finally decided to go this year. They are now also considering delaying the trip until the situation becomes clearer.

“If things do not improve and flights remain disrupted, we may consider driving to Makkah in a small group of cars, provided the roads are safe and travel requirements are clear,” he said. “For now, we do not want to rush a journey that we have waited so long to make.”