Riyadh Air Traffic: 86% of Flights Cancelled Since Mid-October

Travelers based in or visiting the Saudi capital face near-total flight cancellations due to sustained aerial attacks from Yemen. Aviation analytics firm Cirium reported on Monday that 4,071 of the 4,736 scheduled flights at King Khalid International Airport were scrapped between October 8 and October 25. This represents an 86% cancellation rate for the airport, which serves as the second-busiest gateway in the kingdom after Jeddah.

The disruption stems from an intensified campaign by Iran-aligned Houthis targeting Saudi infrastructure. The group has used ballistic missiles and drones to strike airports, ports, and oil facilities. A missile attack on October 10 killed 13 people at the Riyadh airport, marking the deadliest incident in the country in over a decade. Following that strike, Saudi authorities halted operations before partially reopening the facility on Sunday.

The partial reopening allowed domestic flights to resume from Terminal 1 and national carriers to operate international services from Terminal 2. However, the Houthis announced on Monday that they had attacked the airport again, characterizing it as a military target. This latest strike has prompted international airlines to suspend services to Riyadh through November. Delta Air Lines has also delayed the launch of its new Riyadh route until next year.

The impact of the air travel collapse extends beyond the capital. Cirium data indicates that more than 7,800 flights, or 45% of all scheduled departures from Saudi airports, were canceled during the same October 8 to 25 period. The cancellation rate peaked on October 12, when over 60% of scheduled flights nationwide were scrapped. Other major hubs have also seen major disruptions, with Dammam recording a 42% cancellation rate and Abha at 46.7%.

Smaller regional airports have been even more affected. Najran, located near the Yemeni border, canceled every flight scheduled during the period. The widespread grounding of aircraft has disrupted events in Riyadh, leading to the cancellation or postponement of several gatherings, including the kingdom's major investment conference. The travel difficulties have made it harder for attendees to reach the capital and move within the country.