RIYADH – Deadly attacks cripple Saudi Arabia’s busiest aviation hub and trigger widespread flight cancellations as regional tensions spiral.
Riyadh’s main international airport has been plunged into aviation chaos after a series of deadly attacks blamed on Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement killed at least 14 people over the weekend, injured hundreds and brought scheduled flights to an almost complete standstill at the height of the disruption.
Riyadh Airport
The latest departure schedule showed cancellations affecting domestic services operated by Saudia, flynas and flyadeal, as well as flights operated by Riyadh Air. Among the cancelled flights were Riyadh Air services RX12 and RX18, while Saudia flights SV1032, SV1034, SV1036, SV1038, SV1040 and SV1042 were also listed as cancelled.
Several flynas departures bound for Riyadh were cancelled, including XY22, XY32, XY36, XY10, XY40, XY60, XY42, XY46 and other services listed in the afternoon schedule.
Flyadeal flights F3120, F3138, F3122 and F3126 were also marked as cancelled, adding to the disruption affecting domestic air travel.
Jeddah Airport
Among affected services, Riyadh Air flights RX12 and RX18 were listed as cancelled. Saudia flights SV1032, SV1034, SV1036, SV1038, SV1040 and SV1042 were also marked as cancelled.
Flynas recorded multiple cancellations on Riyadh-bound services, including flights XY22, XY32, XY36, XY10, XY40, XY60, XY42 and XY46. Flyadeal flights F3120, F3138, F3122 and F3126 were also listed as cancelled.
Hainan Airlines flight HU7914 to Haikou, China cancelled as well.
Madina Airport
Following flights were cancelled
- 12:20 PM — flyadeal flight F3226
- 1:45 PM — flynas flight XY100
- 3:55 PM — Saudia flight SV1460
- 4:05 PM — flynas flight XY787
- 6:00 PM — flynas flight XY96
- 6:05 PM — Saudia flight SV1462
- 7:25 PM — Saudia flight SV1470
- 7:40 PM — flyadeal flight F3236
- 7:55 PM — Saudia flight SV8859
- 9:30 PM — Saudia flight SV1464
- 9:55 PM — flynas flight XY98
The departures board also listed an Emirates flight to Dubai, EK810, scheduled for 5:35 PM, as cancelled, along with IndiGo flight 6E60 to Mumbai at 9:50 PM.
October 10 attack was the deadliest of the reported weekend incidents, leaving 13 people dead and more than 300 injured, with 309 commonly cited in reports. The initial death toll stood at 12 before rising after an Indian national reportedly succumbed to injuries. The victims included Saudi citizens and foreign nationals from Bangladesh, the United States, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Palestine, Sudan and other countries.
The attack was widely described as the deadliest assault on Saudi territory in more than a decade. The violence continued on Sunday when another projectile reportedly struck the airport, with the Terminal 4 area mentioned in accounts of the incident. The impact triggered a fire, leaving one person dead and approximately 11 others injured. Some reports identified the deceased as a Pakistani national.
Saudi authorities and the Saudi-led coalition also reported intercepting additional threats as security concerns intensified around the airport.
Riyadh Airport Flights grounded as Houthis claim hitting Saudi Capital
