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Riyadh Airport Closure Extended Following Houthi Attacks
M
Moneycontrol•12-10-2026, 22:32
Riyadh Airport Closure Extended Following Houthi Attacks
- •Saudi Arabia has extended the closure of Riyadh King Khalid International Airport until October 17 after deadly Houthi attacks.
- •The airport has been shut since Saturday following an attack that killed 13 people and wounded over 300.
- •Major international carriers including Lufthansa, Air France, Etihad, and Gulf Air have suspended or postponed flights to Saudi Arabia.
- •Airlines are adjusting routes to avoid unsafe airspace, with advisory groups recommending alternative paths through Central Asia.
- •Global aviation authorities have issued warnings and advised carriers to exercise extreme caution when operating over or near Saudi airspace.
Key Questions Answered
Saudi Arabia extended the airport closure until October 17 to complete necessary procedures for verifying the safety and operational readiness of its facilities following deadly Houthi attacks.
Airlines across Europe and Asia have suspended services or delayed new routes, with Lufthansa cancelling flights until October 16, Air France extending suspensions through October, and Delta postponing its Atlanta-Riyadh launch to March 2027.
OPSGROUP has advised airlines to avoid the southern aviation corridor over the Middle East and consider alternative routes through Central Asia for flights operating between Europe and Asia.
