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Etihad Airways cancels Bahrain flights after airport closure forces plane to return to Abu Dhabi
The Abu Dhabi-based carrier later cancelled flight EY647 from Abu Dhabi to Bahrain and the return service, EY648, from Bahrain to Abu Dhabi, both scheduled to operate on July 16
- PUBLISHED: Thu 16 Jul 2026, 7:53 PM
Etihad Airways cancelled its Bahrain flights on Thursday after the temporary closure of Bahrain International Airport forced one of its aircraft to turn back to Abu Dhabi.
Flight EY647 from Abu Dhabi's Zayed International Airport to Bahrain International Airport returned to Abu Dhabi after the airport in Bahrain was closed.
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The Abu Dhabi-based carrier later cancelled flight EY647 from Abu Dhabi to Bahrain and the return service, EY648, from Bahrain to Abu Dhabi, both scheduled to operate on July 16.
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“Etihad Airways is monitoring the situation and will be providing regular updates,” it said on its website.
Iran has renewed its attacks on what it says are US bases in Bahrain, as well as in Kuwait and Jordan, after the ceasefire collapsed last week.
Early on Thursday, Bahraini residents awoke to sirens as the country’s interior ministry urged them to “remain calm” and head to the “nearest safe place.”
The UAE’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) condemned the renewed hostile attacks, saying that it constitutes a “a flagrant violation of the sovereignty of the brotherly nations and a threat to their security and stability.”
The Bahraini Defence Ministry said the country's air defence systems had intercepted and destroyed a number of Iranian aerial attacks targeting the kingdom on Thursday.
Etihad airlines advised affected travellers to ensure their contact details are up to date so they can receive the latest flight information via SMS or email. Passengers who need to change their bookings or require assistance have been asked to contact the airline through its customer service channels.
"The safety and comfort of our guests and crew are our number one priority," the airline said, apologising for the disruption to passengers' travel plans.
Hind Aldah is a business reporter based in Sharjah. In her spare time, you will find her playing classical guitar, painting amateur oil paintings, or crocheting the same old scarf that leads nowhere.