October 12, 2026 — Update: Saudi Arabia has extended the shutdown of Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport (RUH), the home hub of Saudia (SV), and has given no date for reopening. A projectile hit the airport again on Sunday night, and Dammam’s King Fahd International Airport (DMM) was also attacked. The FAA has told U.S. airlines to use extra caution around Saudi Arabia through December 10.
What changed since our last report
- The closure has no end date. On Monday, October 12, the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) extended the suspension at Riyadh. It says the extra time is to finish checks on the “safety and operational readiness” of the airport. Reopening date: TBA.
- Another strike on Sunday. At about 8:30 p.m. local time on Sunday, October 11, a projectile hit the area of domestic Terminals 3 and 4. GACA said one person was killed, a Pakistani resident, and 11 were injured. A passenger on a taxiing aircraft told Al Jazeera the projectile landed on the tarmac beside parked jets and started a fire. Their aircraft went back to the gate and everyone got off. The airport has now been hit four times in five days.
- Saturday’s death toll rose to 13. India’s embassy said an Indian citizen died on Sunday of injuries from the October 10 attack.
- Dammam was attacked. GACA confirmed an attack on King Fahd International Airport late on October 11. It gave no details of damage and reported no casualties. Inspections are under way. Dammam was not fully closed, but a flight-tracking snapshot on Monday showed 39 departures cancelled, about a third of the day’s outbound flights.
- FAA warning. The FAA has issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) telling U.S. operators to use increased caution when flying to, from, over or near Saudi Arabia. It warns that the threat could affect aircraft “at all altitudes”. The notice runs through December 10, 2026. No U.S. airline currently flies nonstop to Saudi Arabia. Europe’s aviation safety agency, EASA, widened its own Saudi airspace advisory on October 9.
How much is cancelled
Flightradar24 data quoted by Gulf Business showed 655 cancellations at Riyadh on Sunday, which was 98% of scheduled flights. Early on Monday, Riyadh showed 436 cancellations, Jeddah 115 and Dammam 63. Cirium told The National that 46.4% of all scheduled flights in Saudi Arabia were cancelled as of 4 p.m. UAE time on Monday.
The scale is large. According to OAG figures cited by Aviation Week, airlines had planned more than 7,700 departures from 28 Saudi airports this week, with Saudi carriers providing 65.1% of the seats. We found no new public statement from Saudia on when its Riyadh operations will restart.
Foreign airlines’ Saudi suspensions
| Airline | What is cancelled | Through |
|---|---|---|
| Philippine Airlines (PR) | Manila–Riyadh | November 29 |
| Air France (AF) | Riyadh | End of October |
| KLM (KL) | Riyadh, Dammam and Dubai | October 31 |
| Etihad (EY) | All Abu Dhabi–Riyadh; all Dammam on October 13–14; selected Jeddah | October 19 (Riyadh); October 15 (Jeddah) |
| Lufthansa Group | Riyadh | October 16 |
| IndiGo (6E) | Riyadh and Dammam | October 15 |
| Air India Express (IX) | Riyadh (plus Dammam and Jeddah on October 12) | October 15 |
| flydubai (FZ) | Riyadh, Dammam and Abha | October 14 |
| Akasa Air (QP) | Jeddah and Riyadh | October 13 |
| Emirates (EK) | All six Dubai–Riyadh flights on October 12; four on October 13 | TBA |
Delta still has not said whether its planned Atlanta–Riyadh launch on October 23 will go ahead. CEO Ed Bastian has said the decision will come soon.
What it means for non-revs
- Do not plan any trip through Riyadh. Saudia’s hub is shut with no reopening date. When it does reopen, the passengers from hundreds of cancelled flights will be rebooked before any standby traveler, so seats will be scarce for days afterward.
- Dammam and Jeddah are not safe backups. Dammam has now been attacked, and both airports had heavy cancellations on Monday. Several foreign airlines have cut Dammam and Jeddah flights as well as Riyadh.
- ZED and interline trips to Saudi Arabia are effectively off. Most foreign airlines on the routes have suspended service, some until late October or November. Check your own airline’s pass-travel restrictions before you list on anything to the kingdom.
- Gulf connections may fill up. Passengers who still need to reach Saudi Arabia will try to reroute through other hubs, so expect busier loads on whatever services keep operating.
- U.S. airline employees: the FAA notice is in force until December 10. No U.S. carrier currently flies to Saudi Arabia, so it does not take away any seats you could ride today.
Sources
- Al-Monitor — Closure of Riyadh airport extended after deadly Houthi strikes
- Al Jazeera — Saudi Arabia says 1 dead, 11 injured in latest attack on Riyadh airport
- Aviation Week — Saudi Airport Attacks Trigger Cancellations, Airspace Warnings
- Airline Geeks — FAA Cautions Airlines After Attacks on Saudi Arabia
- Rus Tourism News — Dammam Airport Attacked as Saudi Aviation Disruption Spreads
- Gulf Business — Almost 1,500 flights cancelled across Saudi Arabia as attacks disrupt travel
- The National — Riyadh airport closure: Etihad cancels flights until October 19
- Reuters via Investing.com — Factbox: Airlines cancel flights to Saudi Arabia after Riyadh airport attacks
- KLM newsroom — Statement: situation Middle East
- Philstar — PAL suspends Riyadh flights until Nov. 29 after airport attacks
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