Riyadh airport shut until October 17 as airlines halt flights

Key Points

1. King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh will stay closed until 2100 GMT on October 17.
2. Saudi civil aviation cited completion of safety and operational readiness procedures at the airport's facilities.
3. Lufthansa, Air France-KLM, Etihad, Qatar Airways and Delta have cancelled or postponed Riyadh services.

The latest:

One of Saudi Arabia’s main aviation gateways will stay dark for days longer, after the civil aviation authority extended the suspension of operations at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh to Saturday, October 17. The authority said the extension allows officials to complete procedures ensuring the safety and operational readiness of the airport’s facilities. Carriers across Europe, Asia and the Middle East have suspended or postponed Riyadh services.

Details:

• The notice: A Notice to Airmen issued on Monday set the closure until 2100 GMT on October 17, according to the Saudi Press Agency. The suspension has hit one of the Kingdom’s major international gateways, with foreign carriers adding cancellations and extending restrictions on flights to and from the capital.
• European carriers: Lufthansa Group has cancelled all flights to Riyadh until October 16, while Air France-KLM has extended the suspension of its services to and from the Saudi capital until the end of October, according to a Reuters report.
• Gulf airlines: Etihad Airways cancelled flights linking Abu Dhabi with Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam, citing regional disruption, and said Abu Dhabi–Riyadh services would remain cancelled until October 19. Qatar Airways announced Monday it had temporarily suspended flights to and from Riyadh and Dammam.
• US route delayed: Delta Air Lines postponed the planned launch of its Atlanta–Riyadh service from October 23 to March 2027, Reuters said — a delay of more than two years on a route that had been set to open within weeks.
• Regulators warn: The US Federal Aviation Administration advised American carriers on Sunday to exercise caution when operating flights to or over Saudi Arabia. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency expanded its warning on Saudi airspace on Friday, citing missile and drone threats.
• Missile claims: Late Monday the Houthis said they had launched a ballistic missile at King Khalid International Airport, shortly after Saudi authorities reported intercepting and destroying a ballistic missile fired towards Riyadh. Major General Turki Al-Malki said two further missiles aimed at Khamis Mushait were intercepted and destroyed.
• Government response: Media Minister Salman bin Yousef Al-Dossary affirmed the Kingdom’s determination to defend its territory, citizens, residents and vital facilities. Speaking Monday at the 37th government press conference in Riyadh, he condemned the attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure and offered condolences to the families of those killed.
• Pilgrim risk: Al-Dossary warned that attacks affecting airports could endanger travellers including Umrah performers, pilgrims heading to the Grand Mosque in Makkah and visitors to the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah. He said Saudi airports regularly handle large numbers of religious visitors.
• Readiness message: The minister said the Kingdom possessed the capabilities required to confront aerial, missile and drone threats, and that military, security, health and service agencies were coordinating on emergency response. He added that elevated readiness should not be read as public alarm.

Between the lines:

The commercial response has already outrun the official timetable. Air France-KLM’s suspension runs to the end of October and Etihad’s to October 19, both beyond the October 17 reopening date, while Delta has pushed a new Riyadh route to March 2027. Airlines are pricing in risk that lasts longer than the closure notice, reinforced by the FAA and EASA airspace warnings.

What’s next

Watch whether the civil aviation authority lifts or extends the NOTAM before 2100 GMT on October 17, whether Lufthansa resumes on October 16, and whether the FAA or EASA tighten their Saudi airspace advisories further.

Sources: