Etihad Airways (EY) suspended two scheduled flights between Abu Dhabi and Bahrain on July 16 after one of its morning services were forced to return to Abu Dhabi.
The disruption came after Bahrain International Airport was closed as the conflict involving the United States and Iran intensified across the Gulf.
Flight EY647 departed Zayed International Airport (AUH) bound for Bahrain International Airport (BAH) during the early hours of Thursday. However, the aircraft returned to Abu Dhabi following the airport closure in Bahrain.
As a result, Etihad cancelled both EY647 from Abu Dhabi to Bahrain and the return EY648 service from Bahrain to Abu Dhabi for the day.
Etihad Suspends Bahrain Services
Etihad confirmed that EY647 returned to Abu Dhabi after Bahrain International Airport suspended operations amid the escalating conflict.
The airline said both the outbound and inbound services were cancelled and noted that it is continuing to monitor the situation while keeping affected passengers informed.
In its operational update, the carrier apologised for the inconvenience, stating that the “safety and comfort of our guests and crew are our number one priority.”
Etihad normally operates as many as five daily nonstop flights in each direction between Abu Dhabi and Bahrain, although frequencies differ depending on the day of the week and the season.
According to Gulf News, the airline’s booking system continued to show the remaining Bahrain flights for the day operating as scheduled.
The cancellations were part of a broader wave of disruptions across the Middle East, with several airlines modifying schedules as the conflict involving Iran, the United States, and Israel continued to affect regional aviation.
Bahrain Airport Disruptions Affect Multiple Airlines
Flight tracking data from Flightradar24 indicated that several other flights were impacted during the early hours of July 16.
A Fly Jinnah (9P) service diverted to King Fahd International Airport (DMM) in Dammam, while an Air India (AI) flight from Kozhikode International Airport (CCJ) experienced delays.
Bahrain’s Interior Ministry also activated emergency warning sirens and instructed residents and citizens to remain calm and seek the nearest safe location.
The latest developments added to an increasing number of flight delays, diversions, and cancellations across the region as airlines adjusted their operations in response to the evolving security situation.
Airspace Warnings Increase Pressure on Airlines
The operational challenges followed fresh aviation safety warnings issued across the Gulf region.
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency advised airlines against operating within the Bahrain flight information region and extended similar caution for the airspace over Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates.
The agency cited the growing threat posed by missile and drone activity associated with the wider conflict involving Iran.
The renewed concerns came after Iran launched coordinated missile and drone attacks targeting Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Kuwait on July 12, 2026.
Bahrain, which hosts major United States military facilities including the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet, has remained under heightened security following the attacks.
Conflict Continues to Escalate
The United Arab Emirates strongly condemned the latest attacks carried out by Iran against Bahrain, Kuwait, and Jordan.
The 2026 Iran War intensified sharply after the interim ceasefire reached in mid-June collapsed.
Regional reports stated that fighting resumed after Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) targeted commercial vessels operating in the Strait of Hormuz.
Those reports added that US President Donald Trump subsequently declared the peace memorandum void, reinstated a naval blockade on Iranian ports, and authorised additional airstrikes.