Houthi Attacks Cancel 4,071 Flights at Riyadh's King Khalid Airport

Aviation analytics firm Cirium reported on Monday that 4,071 of 4,736 scheduled flights at King Khalid International Airport were canceled between October 8 and October 25.

The data indicates that 86% of departures from the Saudi capital's main airport were scrapped during that period. The disruptions stem from intensified missile and drone attacks by Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis, which have targeted airports, ports, and oil facilities across the region.

The current wave of strikes follows a deadly attack on October 10 that killed 13 people, marking the deadliest incident in the kingdom in over a decade. That strike forced a full halt to airport operations that lasted until Sunday.

Saudi authorities partially reopened the airport on Sunday. Domestic flights resumed from Terminal 1, while national carriers were authorized to operate international services from Terminal 2.

Houthi forces claimed a new attack on the airport on Monday, designating it a military target. The fresh strikes have led international airlines to suspend services to Riyadh through November. Delta Air Lines has also delayed the launch of its Riyadh route until next year.

The flight cancellations have caused ripples beyond the aviation sector. Several major events in Riyadh have been canceled or postponed, including the country's primary investment conference, as travel within the kingdom becomes difficult.

National data from Cirium shows the disruption extends across Saudi Arabia. More than 7,800 flights, representing 45% of all scheduled departures from Saudi airports, were canceled between October 8 and October 25. Cancellations peaked on October 12 when over 60% of scheduled flights nationwide were scrapped. Dammam recorded a 42% cancellation rate, while Abha saw 46.7% of flights canceled. At Najran, near the Yemeni border, every scheduled flight was canceled.