Riyadh's airport partly reopens after Houthi strikes, but airlines stay away and the U.S. orders diplomats out
A clear status check on Saudi flights: what's open, who's still cancelling, and the new U.S. alert.
Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport, shut on October 10 after repeated Houthi strikes, reopened with restrictions: a notice effective October 17 requires prior permission for every arrival and departure, Airways reports. By Wednesday, October 21, Saudia and Flynas were operating limited domestic flights, while Lufthansa and Air France had cancelled through mid-November, the AP reports (via the Baltimore Sun).
Late on October 21 an attack on King Fahd International Airport in Dammam killed one resident and injured eight, Saudi aviation authorities said. The State Department ordered non-essential embassy staff and families to leave and warned that hostilities "have the potential to escalate rapidly." EASA's airspace bulletin for parts of the Jeddah flight region remains active through November 16.
Instead of booking Saudi trips or connections now, consider postponing non-essential travel and checking each airline's suspension notice.
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King Khalid International Airport
After exploring Riyadh Airport Reopens With Restrictions as Airline Suspensions Continue, for background on the airport, see King Khalid International Airport.
Wikipedia's entry on Riyadh's main airport, about 35 km north of the city.
Wikipedia · Wade · 5 min
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