RIYADH, Oct. 9, 2026 — Update to our October 8 story. Saudi Arabia’s aviation authority confirmed on Friday that Thursday’s two attacks on King Khalid International Airport (RUH) killed three people, including a Saudia captain. Flights are recovering, but Lufthansa Group is now out of Riyadh through October 16 and Europe’s aviation safety agency has widened its Saudi airspace warning to take in the capital’s airport.
What changed since yesterday
- Deaths confirmed: the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) said three Saudi citizens were killed in the Thursday, October 8 attacks. Saudia confirmed that one of them was Capt. Hamoud Ali Alkalthami. The Associated Press reports several people of different nationalities were wounded. On Thursday, Saudi authorities had not confirmed any hit on the airport.
- What was hit: the AP reports the first attack struck airport facilities and the second struck a Saudia aircraft on the ground with no passengers on board. Which terminal or stand: TBA.
- Earlier toll: attacks on Riyadh and Abha airports on October 6–7 killed three people and injured 36, according to GACA figures carried by Gulf Business.
- Airspace warning widened: the EU Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) updated its conflict zone bulletin for Saudi Arabia with effect from October 9. FlightGlobal reports the new area of concern takes in Riyadh’s airport. Reuters reports EASA advises airlines to avoid the affected airspace. How long the bulletin stays in force: TBA.
- Industry warning: OPSGROUP, an association of flight operations professionals, told members: “We now recommend avoiding operations in Saudi Arabia entirely.”
- Operations: Saudia Group said airport operations had returned to normal. The National reported that from 8 a.m. Friday flights were broadly expected to leave on time.
Cancellations: Thursday against Friday
| When | Flights affected at RUH | Data source |
|---|---|---|
| Thursday, Oct. 8 (full day) | 167 cancelled (43%), 164 delayed (42%) | Flightradar24, via The National |
| Thursday, Oct. 8 | 169 of 378 departures and 124 of 369 arrivals cancelled or not operating | Cirium, via Aerospace Global News |
| Friday, Oct. 9 (midnight to morning) | 44 cancelled (13%), 63 delayed (18%) | Flightradar24, via The National |
| Friday, Oct. 9 (by 1305 GMT) | 131 cancelled | Flightradar24, via Reuters |
Airline by airline
| Airline | Riyadh status | Until |
|---|---|---|
| Lufthansa Group | Suspended | Through October 16 |
| Air India, Air India Express | Suspended | Through October 10 |
| Akasa Air | Suspended | Through October 10 |
| IndiGo | Suspended | Through October 9 |
| Philippine Airlines | Cancelled | At least October 11 |
| Pakistan International Airlines | Suspended | TBA |
| flydubai | Riyadh and Yanbu cancelled; Abha cancelled | Through October 10 (Abha through October 11) |
| Etihad | Six Abu Dhabi–Riyadh flights cancelled Friday, two more Saturday | Day by day |
| Emirates | EK820 to Dubai cancelled Friday; listed as scheduled Saturday | Day by day |
| KLM | Riyadh and Dammam cancelled | Until October 24 |
| Air France | Suspended | Until October 24 |
| British Airways | Reduced service of one daily flight due to resume | November 3 |
| Cathay Pacific | Suspended | Until January 31 |
| Saudia | Says operations are back to normal after cancelling 97 of 140 departures on Thursday | — |
Airlines say every date above depends on further security reviews, Aerospace Global News reports. The Houthis have threatened more attacks on Saudi aviation.
What it means for non-revs
- Skip Riyadh for leisure travel. FlightGlobal counts four separate strikes on Saudi airports this week, two of them deadly at RUH. A recovering schedule does not mean the risk has passed.
- Expect very full flights on what does operate. Hundreds of flights were cancelled on Thursday alone, and those passengers are being rebooked ahead of any standby traveller.
- European connections are thin. Lufthansa Group is out through October 16, and Air France and KLM until October 24. Do not plan a ZED routing through Frankfurt, Munich, Zurich, Vienna, Paris or Amsterdam to Riyadh before those dates.
- Gulf carriers are cancelling flight by flight. Etihad, Emirates and flydubai all dropped Riyadh flights on Friday. Check the specific flight on the day, not just the route.
- Do not use Abha as a back door. flydubai has cancelled Abha through October 11, and flyadeal cancelled a Riyadh–Abha flight on Friday.
- Carry on only. Our October 8 story reported passengers being told to leave checked bags and evacuate during Thursday’s attack.
- Note the US government’s own rule. The US Mission in Saudi Arabia says its employees need special authorization to use King Khalid airport, Aerospace Global News reports.
Sources
- Fortune (Associated Press): Authorities said Houthi-claimed attacks on Riyadh airport killed three Saudi citizens, as airlines suspend at least 124 flights
- Euronews: Houthi missile strikes on Riyadh airport kill three, including airline captain
- The National: Riyadh airport flights broadly back to normal after days of disruption
- The National: Saudi Arabia flights: Airlines including British Airways and KLM suspend or cancel routes
- Al-Monitor (Reuters): EU aviation body widens Saudi airspace warning after Houthi strikes
- FlightGlobal: EASA broadens Saudi airspace conflict warning to Riyadh and Dammam
- Aerospace Global News: Airlines cancel flights to Riyadh following attacks on Saudi airports
- Gulf Business: Lufthansa, Indian airlines suspend flights to Riyadh after Houthi attacks
- Gulf News: Airlines cancel flights to Riyadh after Houthi attack on airport
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