RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — October 19, 2026. Update to our October 18 story. One day after King Khalid International Airport (RUH) reopened, Saudi aviation officials have placed a new, open-ended restriction on flights there, and several Gulf and Indian carriers have pushed their return dates back to October 24 or later.
What changed in the past 24 hours
- Prior permission now required: A new Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) requires airlines to get permission in advance for every arrival and departure at RUH, Business Today reported on October 19, citing Bloomberg and officials at Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) and the airport. End date: TBA.
- No longer an emergency alternate: RUH can no longer be filed as an alternate airport for diversions. End date: TBA.
- Conflicting reports: The National describes RUH as reopened on Sunday, October 18, while Business Today reports the airport remained shut to regular flights as of Monday, October 19, with no reopening timeline. Treat any Riyadh flight as uncertain until your airline confirms it is operating.
- Emirates has firm dates: EK817 Dubai–Riyadh resumes October 20; EK815 and EK819 Dubai–Riyadh, plus Jeddah flights EK801, EK803 and EK805, resume October 21. The three Jeddah flights are cancelled October 19–20.
- Extensions: Etihad (previously until October 19) and flydubai (previously until October 19) now cancel through October 24. Qatar Airways now lists Riyadh and Dammam as cancelled through October 24 and has cut Jeddah from seven daily flights to four.
Where the airlines stand (as reported October 19)
| Airline | Saudi status |
|---|---|
| Gulf Air | Flights after October 18 operating as scheduled |
| Emirates | Riyadh resumes October 20 (EK817) and October 21 (EK815, EK819); Jeddah resumes October 21 |
| Oman Air | Riyadh cancelled until October 22 |
| Etihad | Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam cancelled until October 24 |
| flydubai | Riyadh, Dammam and Abha cancelled through October 24 |
| Qatar Airways | Riyadh and Dammam cancelled through October 24; Jeddah cut from 7 to 4 daily |
| Air France | Riyadh cancelled until October 24 |
| Air India / Air India Express | Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam cancelled until October 24 |
| IndiGo | Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam and Madinah cancelled until October 24 |
| Akasa Air | Riyadh until October 24; Jeddah until October 21 |
| KLM | Riyadh and Dammam cancelled until October 31 |
| SalamAir | Riyadh and Dammam cancelled until October 31 |
| Air Arabia | Sharjah to Riyadh, Abha, Dammam and Taif suspended; resumption TBA |
| British Airways | One daily Riyadh flight returns November 3 |
| Lufthansa | Riyadh until November 18; Dammam through November 30 |
| Philippine Airlines | Riyadh (PR654/PR655) suspended until November 29 |
| Cathay Pacific | Riyadh suspended until January 31, 2027 |
| Delta | Atlanta–Riyadh launch moved from October 23 to March 2027 |
| Pakistan International Airlines | Riyadh suspended since October 9; resumption TBA |
Elsewhere in the kingdom, Malaysia Airlines resumed Jeddah and Madinah on October 18, Eurowings returns to Jeddah on November 12, and Scoot’s Singapore–Jeddah flights stay suspended until December 2.
What it means for non-revs
- Don’t plan around Riyadh this week. With a prior-permission rule in force and most foreign carriers out until at least October 24, schedules can change at short notice. Expect few seats on whatever does operate, since passengers from cancelled flights are being rebooked onto it.
- Emirates’ October 20–21 restarts will likely fly full. The first flights back carry travelers displaced by more than a week of cancellations, so seats on them will be scarce.
- Use Jeddah with care. Jeddah is open, but Qatar Airways has cut it to four daily and Etihad, IndiGo, Air India and Akasa are still out, so loads on the remaining Gulf connections are likely heavy.
- Diversion risk on Gulf flights: With RUH no longer usable as an alternate, crews may have fewer diversion options. Have a backup plan if you are routing nearby.
- Check before you go. Reports conflict on whether RUH is open to regular flights. Confirm the exact flight is operating on your airline’s own status page before heading to the airport.
Sources
- Business Today — Houthi attacks disrupt Saudi aviation: Riyadh airport restricts flights indefinitely
- The National — Riyadh airport reopens: Which airlines are still cancelling flights to Saudi Arabia?
Get NonRev Travel News by email
ADVERTISEMENT
A weekly recap newsletter, sent out every Sunday, with the airline, airport, cruise and travel-warning news that matters to airline employees and retirees. Free.
Subscribe free
