October 15, 2026 — Riyadh Air has flown most of its parked Boeing 787-9s out of Riyadh, and insurance records now show six aircraft were damaged during last week’s attacks on King Khalid International Airport (RUH). The airport, Riyadh Air’s home base, is still closed.
What’s new since our last update
- Riyadh Air moves its 787s out. Riyadh Air has moved four of the five aircraft it had parked at Riyadh. On October 13, three 787-9s left Riyadh within about half an hour: two went to AlUla and one went to Medina. A fourth aircraft flew to Lahore, Pakistan. Aviation A2Z lists the moves as HZ-RXAA and HZ-RXAG to AlUla, HZ-RXAC to Medina, and HZ-RXAE from Jeddah to Lahore. It also says several other Riyadh Air 787s have been sitting at Jeddah since October 8–10.
- Six aircraft damaged. According to insurance records reviewed by The Wall Street Journal, six aircraft were damaged, with a combined insured value of about $375 million. One of them is a total loss. The damaged aircraft include a Saudia Airbus A320 destroyed by fire on October 8, a Saudia A321neo delivered in April, and a Riyadh Air 787 whose nose was hit by debris on October 10. The other two have not been publicly identified.
- The ramp has emptied out. Flightradar24 data shows the number of aircraft on the ground at RUH dropped from 134 on October 8 to 38 by midday October 14. Live and Let’s Fly says airlines are trying to move aircraft worth up to $4 billion out of the airport.
Airport and airline status
| Item | Status (as reported) |
|---|---|
| King Khalid International (RUH) | Closed under a NOTAM to 21:00 UTC October 17 (midnight local, going into Sunday, October 18). No reopening date has been announced. |
| Riyadh Air (RX) | Hub closed. Restart date: TBA. |
| Etihad | Abu Dhabi–Riyadh cancelled through October 19 |
| Lufthansa Group | Riyadh suspended to October 16 |
| Air France / KLM | Air France until the end of October; KLM through October 25 |
| Philippine Airlines | Suspended until November 29 |
| Delta | Atlanta–Riyadh launch pushed to March 2027 |
Saudi authorities are investigating how the drones and missiles got past air defences. Saudia, Riyadh Air and flyadeal are all due to renew their war-risk insurance next month. One analyst quoted by Aerospace Global News said the losses show that “the real exposure is on the ground.”
What it means for non-revs
- Do not plan on Riyadh before October 18 at the earliest. The airport is closed by NOTAM, and many foreign carriers have published suspensions that run well past that date. Expect a staggered restart, not a full schedule from day one.
- Riyadh Air will need time to get going again. Its aircraft are now spread across AlUla, Medina, Jeddah and Lahore. Bringing them back means arranging crews, parking, maintenance and permits. Even after RUH reopens, expect a thin schedule at first and heavy rebooking loads, which leaves little room for standby passengers.
- Jeddah (JED) is the main alternative, and it is absorbing displaced passengers. If you have to travel in the region, expect full flights through Jeddah and the Gulf hubs on Saudi-bound days.
- Check each airline’s policy yourself. Sources do not say how Riyadh Air or Saudia are handling employee or interline travel during the closure (TBA). Check with your pass bureau before listing.
Sources
- Aerospace Global News — Six aircraft damaged in Riyadh strikes as airlines evacuate fleets
- Aviation A2Z — Houthi Missile Threats Force Riyadh Air to Move Its New 787 Fleet
- Live and Let’s Fly — Saudi Airlines Race To Evacuate $4 Billion In Aircraft From Riyadh After Deadly Houthi Attacks
- Aerospace Global News — When will Riyadh airport reopen?
- Travel Tourister — Riyadh Airport Closure: Latest Airline Changes & Flight Cancellations
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