Saudi Arabia extends suspension of operations at Riyadh airport

Saudi Arabia has extended the suspension of operations at Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport as authorities conduct safety and readiness checks after weekend attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels. The General Authority of Civil Aviation said the suspension would continue with no reopening date announced.

The disruption affects multiple carriers and routes beyond Riyadh, with UAE airlines canceling services to and from the Saudi capital and flights to other Saudi destinations also impacted. Emirates and Etihad reported cancellations on several Dubai-Riyadh and Abu Dhabi-Riyadh services, and Etihad listed specific flight numbers affected on Monday and Tuesday.

Etihad’s advisory noted cancellations to Riyadh, Dammam and Jeddah, including flights between Abu Dhabi and Riyadh (EY559 and EY560) and additional outbound services (EY551 and EY555), as well as four Abu Dhabi–Dammam flights (EY573–EY576) and several Jeddah services (EY601–EY604). Further Tuesday cancellations were listed for Dammam, Jeddah and Riyadh services, with ongoing advisories for travelers to verify status.

Flydubai and Air Arabia reported their own cancellations to and from Saudi destinations, with Flydubai indicating cancellations to Abha, Dammam and Riyadh through October 14 and Air Arabia noting cancellations of Sharjah–Riyadh and Sharjah–Abha flights on Monday and Tuesday.

Travelers are advised to check with their airlines for the latest status and options for rebooking or refunds, and to confirm any onward connections as schedules remain unsettled. The situation is evolving as authorities and carriers respond to the security concerns and evaluate airport facilities.