Riyadh airport sees 86% flight cancellations

Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi forces have launched a sustained campaign of missile and drone attacks on Saudi Arabia, leaving the skies over the capital nearly empty. Aviation data released on Monday shows that the disruptions have become the norm rather than the exception at King Khalid International Airport.

Cirium, an aviation analytics firm, reports that 4,071 of the 4,736 scheduled flights at the airport were canceled between October 8 and October 25. That represents an 86% cancellation rate for the period. The airport, the second-busiest in the kingdom after Jeddah, has faced repeated strikes. An attack on October 10 killed 13 people, making it the deadliest incident in the country in more than a decade.

Saudi authorities partially reopened the facility on Sunday after an eight-day halt. Domestic flights resumed operations from Terminal 1, while national carriers were granted permission to run international services from Terminal 2. The restoration of service was short-lived. On Monday, the Houthis announced a new strike on the airport, labeling it a military target.

International airlines are reacting by pulling back from the region. Several carriers have suspended services to Riyadh through November. Delta Air Lines has delayed the launch of its Riyadh route until next year. The flight disruptions are also affecting the kingdom’s event calendar. Saudi Arabia’s marquee investment conference, along with several other major gatherings in the capital, have been canceled or postponed due to travel difficulties.

The impact extends beyond the capital. Cirium data indicates that 7,800 flights, or 45% of all scheduled departures from Saudi airports, were canceled during the same October 8 to 25 window. Cancellations peaked on October 12, when more than 60% of nationwide scheduled flights were scrapped.

Other major hubs have also seen significant reductions in service. Dammam recorded a 42% cancellation rate, while Abha, where the Houthis have claimed strikes, saw 46.7% of flights canceled. Smaller regional airports have suffered even more. Najran, located near the Yemeni border, canceled every scheduled flight during the reporting period.