4,071 Riyadh Flights Canceled Since Oct. 8 Amid Houthi Attacks
Aviation data shows 86% of scheduled departures at King Khalid International Airport were scrapped over a two-week period as strikes continue.
By Sofia Ramirez ·
Missile and drone attacks by Yemen's Houthis have grounded nearly nine in ten scheduled flights at Riyadh's main airport this month.
Aviation analytics firm Cirium reported on Monday that 4,071 of 4,736 scheduled flights at King Khalid International Airport were canceled between October 8 and October 25. This represents an 86% cancellation rate for the period. The airport is the second-busiest in Saudi Arabia after Jeddah.
Houthi forces intensified their campaign against Saudi targets in recent weeks, using ballistic missiles and drones to strike airports, ports, and oil facilities. An attack on the Riyadh airport on October 10 killed 13 people, making it the deadliest incident in the kingdom in more than a decade. That strike forced a full halt to operations that lasted until Sunday.
Saudi authorities partially reopened the airport on Sunday. Domestic flights resumed from Terminal 1, while national carriers were allowed to operate international services from Terminal 2. The Houthis declared the airport a military target and announced a new attack on Monday, overshadowing the limited reopening. International airlines have suspended services to the capital through November, and Delta Air Lines has delayed the launch of its Riyadh route until next year.
The disruption has extended beyond the capital. Cirium data indicates that more than 7,800 flights, or 45% of all scheduled departures from Saudi airports, were canceled between October 8 and October 25. Cancellations peaked nationwide on October 12, when more than 60% of scheduled flights were scrapped.
Other major airports experienced high cancellation rates. Dammam saw a 42% drop, while Abha, which has faced claimed Houthi strikes, recorded a 46.7% cancellation rate. Smaller regional airports lost most of their services, and Najran, located near the Yemeni border, canceled all flights during the period.
The flight disruptions have affected events in the capital. Several gatherings, including Saudi Arabia's major investment conference, have been canceled or postponed as travel within the kingdom becomes more difficult.
Source: The Jerusalem Post
