Riyadh airport reopens amid new Houthi strike

Aviation data released on Monday shows that 86% of scheduled flights at King Khalid International Airport were canceled between October 8 and October 25.

The analytics firm Cirium reported that 4,071 of the 4,736 planned departures from the Saudi capital's main hub were scrapped during that two-week period. The disruption stems from a sustained campaign by Yemen's Houthis, who have used ballistic missiles and drones to target airports, ports, and oil facilities in Saudi Arabia.

An attack on October 10 killed 13 people, marking the deadliest incident in the kingdom in over a decade. Saudi authorities partially reopened the airport on Sunday, allowing domestic flights to resume from Terminal 1 and international services from national carriers to operate from Terminal 2.

The reopening was short-lived. On Monday, the Houthis announced a new attack on the airport, which they described as a military target. In response, international airlines have suspended services to Riyadh through November, and Delta Air Lines has delayed the launch of its local route until next year.

The flight disruptions have caused cancellations and postponements for major events in the capital, including the kingdom's primary investment conference. Travel within the country has also become difficult, affecting business operations across the region.

The impact extends beyond the capital. Cirium data indicates that more than 7,800 flights, or 45% of all scheduled departures from Saudi airports, were canceled from October 8 to October 25. The cancellation rate peaked on October 12, when over 60% of nationwide flights were scrapped.

Other airports have experienced significant losses. Dammam recorded a 42% cancellation rate, while Abha saw 46.7% of flights canceled. At Najran, near the Yemeni border, all scheduled flights were canceled during the period.