Operations at Saudi Arabia’s King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh remain suspended following attacks on the Saudi capital, with a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) stating that the airport will remain closed until 9 pm GMT on October 17.
Aviation analytics firm Cirium estimates that around 60% of scheduled flights at the airport will be cancelled. The Saudi civil aviation authority said the suspension was necessary to complete procedures aimed at ensuring the safety and operational readiness of airport facilities, the Indian Express reported.
Data from Cirium showed that 99.7% of scheduled flights at King Khalid International Airport, Saudi Arabia’s second-busiest airport after Jeddah, were cancelled on Sunday. The firm also estimated that more than one-third of all flights scheduled across Saudi Arabia would not operate on Monday, it added.
Flight-tracking website Flightradar24, however, put the expected cancellation rate at Riyadh airport at around 78%.
The airport remained closed on Sunday, and services had not resumed by Monday following fresh airstrikes from Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels. The attacks on Sunday reportedly killed at least one person and injured around a dozen others. A day earlier, the rebel group had targeted Riyadh airport, killing 13 people and injuring more than 300, according to the report.
The continued closure has disrupted air travel, with several international carriers announcing cancellations or suspensions.
Germany’s Lufthansa Group said it would suspend flights to Riyadh through October 16, citing “current developments in the Middle East”.
Indian airline IndiGo had earlier cancelled all flights to and from Riyadh until October 9. Air India and Akasa Air had also announced the suspension of services to and from the Saudi capital until October 10.
Attacks on airports across Saudi Arabia have caused significant disruption to civil aviation, prompting airlines operating across Asia and Europe to suspend services. On Sunday, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) advised American airlines to exercise caution when flying to or over Saudi Arabia, Reuters reported.Following Saturday’s attack on Riyadh airport, US President Donald Trump said Washington was considering whether to join Saudi forces in strikes against the Houthi rebels.
