WWE Saudi Flight Updates: Plane Finally Takes Off, Some Wrestlers Land, NXT Travel Issues

A flight with the WWE wrestlers and staff who were stranded in Saudi Arabia finally took off to return to the United States at around 10 PM ET tonight (Friday).

The flight is currently scheduled to land at JFK Airport in New York City at 10 AM ET Saturday. It took off at around 5 AM local Saudi time.

A separate plane that was arranged as a backup and flew out of Saudi Arabia last night appears to have landed in the US after SmackDown began, but before it went off the air. The flight reportedly included 12 wrestlers and eight other WWE staff/crew members. Kofi Kingston was apparently on that plane and at 9:39 PM ET, tweeted that he’s back in the US.

Back in the states. What a day…🙃

— KOFI (@TrueKofi) November 2, 2019

Other wrestlers tweeted about the Saudi debacle this morning…

Never again…

— Buddy Murphy (@WWE_Murphy) November 1, 2019

Bad day on Saudi Arabia, I hope to arrive before my birth…..

— “EL IDOLO” ANDRADE (@AndradeCienWWE) November 1, 2019

At this point and time We need all the prayers… brother.

— Rusev (@RusevBUL) November 1, 2019

NXT

WWE brought in several NXT wrestlers to tonight’s SmackDown instead and reportedly cut it very close getting them there on time.

Post Wrestling’s John Pollock explained:

Was told the NXT charter didn't land until 7:55 pm and they had a police escort to get them to the building.

One person I spoke with added they could not have cut it any closer to get everyone in place for the third segment when Shayna Baszler made her appearance.

— John Pollock (@iamjohnpollock) November 2, 2019