Saudi Arabia’s capital is facing a prolonged aviation shutdown, with King Khalid International Airport set to remain closed until October 17 as missile and drone attacks attributed to Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement disrupt air travel and force airlines to suspend services.
The Saudi civil aviation authority said the closure was extended to allow authorities to complete safety procedures and ensure the airport’s facilities were ready for operations to resume.
The airport, the kingdom’s second-busiest after Jeddah, has been closed since Saturday’s attack killed 13 people and injured more than 300. A further strike on Sunday left one person dead and nearly a dozen others wounded, marking the deadliest wave of attacks in Saudi Arabia in more than a decade.
Tensions escalated again late Monday when the Houthis claimed to have targeted Riyadh’s airport with a ballistic missile. Saudi authorities had earlier reported intercepting and destroying a missile fired towards the capital. The group also claimed to have launched a drone attack against an airbase in Khamis Mushait in southwestern Saudi Arabia, although Riyadh had not immediately confirmed the incident.
An aviation notice issued on Monday indicated that King Khalid International Airport would remain shut until 2100 GMT on October 17.
Airlines retreat as regional airspace risks grow
The disruption is spreading well beyond Riyadh, forcing airlines to rethink routes, cancel flights and postpone new services as security concerns mount across the Middle East.
Flight-tracking data showed aircraft avoiding the Saudi capital on Monday, even as some flights continued to cross the kingdom’s airspace and arrive at Jeddah on the Red Sea coast. According to aviation analytics firm Cirium, cancellations across Saudi airports had reached 46.4%.
The attacks have also intensified concerns about the vulnerability of civilian aviation during armed conflicts. Aviation safety organisation OPSGROUP described the sustained assault on civil aviation as unprecedented and urged airlines to reassess the risks before operating in the region.
European aviation authorities have expanded warnings over Saudi airspace, citing missile and drone threats. The US Federal Aviation Administration has also advised American carriers to exercise caution when flying to or over the kingdom.
OPSGROUP has recommended avoiding the southern aviation corridor across the Middle East, with airlines considering routes through Central Asia for journeys between Europe and Asia. Such detours can substantially lengthen flights and complicate access to major Gulf hubs, including Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
Major carriers extend suspensions
Airlines across Europe, the Gulf and Asia are adjusting their schedules as uncertainty over the security situation continues.
Lufthansa Group has cancelled flights to Riyadh through October 16, while Air France-KLM has extended its suspension of services to and from the Saudi capital until the end of October.
Etihad Airways has cancelled flights linking Abu Dhabi with Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam because of regional disruption. Its Riyadh services are suspended through October 19.
Qatar Airways has also temporarily halted flights to and from Riyadh and Dammam, citing the prevailing situation.
Delta Air Lines, meanwhile, has postponed the launch of its planned Atlanta–Riyadh service. The route, originally scheduled to begin on October 23, has been deferred until March 2027.
The mounting cancellations are adding pressure to an aviation sector already dealing with conflict-related disruptions across the Middle East and higher jet fuel costs that are squeezing airline profitability.
Saudi business calendar faces fresh uncertainty
The security crisis is also casting a shadow over Saudi Arabia’s business and investment agenda, with major events planned in Riyadh this month facing growing uncertainty.
The kingdom’s flagship investment conference and the WPC Energy Congress are among the gatherings under pressure. Several prominent oil executives have already been removed from the energy congress programme.
The disruption comes as Saudi Arabia confronts broader economic challenges. The country’s real gross domestic product is projected to contract by 3.6% this year, with weaker oil-sector activity among the factors weighing on growth.
With the airport closure extended and international carriers continuing to revise their schedules, the duration of the aviation disruption could prove critical for business travel, regional connectivity and investor confidence.
For now, Saudi Arabia’s main aviation gateway to the capital remains closed, while airlines and passengers wait for clearer signs that conditions are safe enough for normal operations to resume.
