Umrah pilgrims affected by Riyadh flight cancellations are being rerouted through Jeddah and Madinah, two major entry points for travellers heading to Makkah.
Travel agencies in the UAE say residents with confirmed Umrah bookings are largely proceeding with their pilgrimages despite recent attacks targeting airports in Saudi Arabia. However, uncertainty surrounding the situation has led to an approximately 50 per cent decline in new bookings and enquiries, as prospective travellers adopt a wait-and-see approach.
Pilgrims affected by flight cancellations to Riyadh are being accommodated on alternative routes through Jeddah and Madinah, two major gateways for those travelling to Makkah.
According to tour operators, previously scheduled Umrah groups continue to operate as planned, although the ongoing security concerns have made new customers more hesitant to finalise their travel arrangements.
Shihab Perwad of Rehan Al Jazeera Tours and Travels said the company had not experienced cancellations among customers who had already confirmed their Umrah packages.
Instead, the slowdown has primarily affected fresh reservations and enquiries, including those for journeys by road.
“People who have already booked are not cancelling their Umrah trips,” Perwad explained.
“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.”
He noted that this period typically marks the beginning of a busy season for Umrah travel, with demand usually increasing further as December approaches.
However, the current uncertainty has encouraged many UAE residents to delay making travel decisions.
“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.”
Jaseem of Al Shammar Haj and Umrah Service also confirmed that the company’s scheduled pilgrimage groups were continuing without disruption.
He explained that travellers affected by cancelled Riyadh flights were being transferred to alternative Saudi airports to ensure their journeys could proceed.
“We have not received any cancellations so far, and our groups are on schedule,” he 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.”
Jaseem added that some residents were exploring bus travel as an alternative to flying.
A 10-day Umrah package by bus costs approximately Dh1,100, while packages involving air travel start at around Dh2,700.
Despite the availability of alternative routes, some prospective pilgrims have chosen to postpone their plans until the situation becomes clearer.
Meeran, a Dubai resident who had been preparing to travel to Makkah for Umrah, said he decided to delay his pilgrimage because of the prevailing uncertainty.
“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.”
Although performing Umrah remains an important personal priority, Meeran said he would prefer to make the journey when he feels more confident and can travel with greater peace of mind.
Fazil Akbar, a resident of Garhoud, said his family had been hoping to perform Umrah for the past two years and had finally made plans to undertake the pilgrimage this year. However, the recent developments have prompted them to reconsider their travel dates and possibly postpone the journey until conditions become more stable.
“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 explained.
For now, the family prefers to monitor the situation rather than make a hasty decision about a pilgrimage they have been planning for so long.
“For now, we do not want to rush a journey that we have waited so long to make,” Akbar said.
