Riyadh Airport Closure Extended as Houthi Attacks Continue

Authorities have extended the closure of Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport until October 17, and airlines have cancelled flights as continuing attacks by Yemen's Houthis emptied the skies over the Saudi capital.

Key points

• Delta Air Lines remarked it is delaying planned services from Atlanta to Riyadh, initially due to start on October 23, until March 2027.
• A Notice to Airmen issued afterwards demonstrated the airport will remain closed until 2100 GMT on October 17.
• Although jets were crossing Saudi airspace and landing at the Jeddah hub on the west coast, air traffic tracker Flightradar24 indicated planes avoiding the city on Monday.
• Cancellations throughout all Saudi airports reached 46.4 percent, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium.
• While Air France-KLM has suspended services to and from the city until the end of the month, lufthansa Group has cancelled all flights to Riyadh until October 16.

In practice, the Saudi civil aviation authority remarked operations were suspended to ensure the safety and readiness of the airport's facilities.

For context, a Notice to Airmen issued afterwards demonstrated the airport will remain closed until 2100 GMT on October 17. Major Airlines Suspend Flights to Riyadh.

In practice, the airport has been shut since an attack on Saturday that killed 13 individuals and wounded more than 300, making it the deadliest in the kingdom in more than a decade. A second attack on Sunday killed one person and injured almost a dozen others.

In practice, the disruption has raised fresh reservations over civil aviation becoming a target in armed conflict.

"This level of sustained intense attack on civil aviation is unprecedented, " remarked Mark Zee, founder of the aviation safety group OPSGROUP.

While the United States Federal Aviation Administration advised US carriers to exercise caution when flying to or over Saudi Arabia, the crisis has forced airlines throughout Europe and Asia to suspend services. FIA Launches Helpline for Travel Documents Guidance.

While Air France-KLM has suspended services to and from the city until the end of the month, lufthansa Group has cancelled all flights to Riyadh until October 16. Abu Dhabi's Etihad Airways has additionally extended cancellations.

Notably, the attacks mark one of the most significant disruptions to Saudi aviation in years and have continued to pressures on an industry already grappling with conflict throughout the Middle East and rising jet fuel rates. Stay Connected with ProPakistani. Obtain the latest international news and global stories wherever you prefer. Follow on Google Discover. Follow on Google News Join WhatsApp. See more ProPakistani stories in Google Search and Top Stories.

Taken together, the developments around riyadh Airport Closure Extended as Houthi Attacks Continue point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.