Arabian Post Staff -Dubai
The cancellations announced on Thursday disrupted international services as airlines assessed security conditions around King Khalid International Airport, where explosions and smoke were reported following the alleged attack.
Lufthansa said its group airlines would suspend services to Riyadh through October 16 because of “current developments in the Middle East”, making it one of the longest announced suspensions among carriers responding to the escalating security situation.
IndiGo, India’s largest airline, cancelled all flights to and from Riyadh until October 9, while Air India and Akasa Air announced cancellations covering services through October 10.
Air India confirmed that a Delhi-Riyadh flight returned to Delhi on Thursday after the security situation deteriorated. Akasa Air separately cancelled two scheduled services, affecting passengers travelling between the Saudi capital and India.
The airlines announced their decisions as the Houthis warned commercial carriers against operating in Saudi airspace, raising concerns about the safety of civilian aircraft and airport infrastructure.
The Iran-aligned movement claimed responsibility for firing a ballistic missile at King Khalid International Airport. Saudi authorities had not immediately confirmed that the airport was struck by the missile, leaving the precise circumstances of the incident disputed.
Smoke was observed rising from a stationary aircraft at the airport on Thursday. Accounts of explosions and damage prompted emergency responses, although the extent of damage and whether the aircraft was directly struck remained unclear.
The disruption extended beyond the four airlines. Aviation monitoring company FlightAware recorded more than 275 flight cancellations at Riyadh airport on Thursday, affecting approximately 40 per cent of scheduled arrivals and 30 per cent of departures.
Separate figures compiled by aviation analytics company Cirium showed that 49.7 per cent of departures from Riyadh had been cancelled by 1500 GMT. Its data also indicated another 31 cancellations expected across Saudi airports on Friday.
Flight tracking service Flightradar24 showed numerous international services scheduled to arrive in Riyadh being cancelled, illustrating the wider operational consequences of the security alert.
The scale of the cancellations placed considerable pressure on passengers seeking alternative travel arrangements, particularly those booked on international connections through the Saudi capital.
Airlines faced the immediate challenge of determining when operations could safely resume while maintaining contact with airport authorities and monitoring developments affecting regional airspace.
Air India Express said passengers affected by its Riyadh cancellations could choose complimentary rescheduling or receive full refunds. The airline cited the evolving regional situation in explaining its decision to suspend services through October 10.
The aviation disruption followed a series of attacks targeting Saudi airports during the week. Saudi authorities said on Wednesday that three people had been killed in strikes involving Riyadh airport and Abha airport in the kingdom’s southwest.
The earlier casualties heightened concerns about the vulnerability of civilian aviation facilities as fighting between Houthi forces and Saudi-backed forces in Yemen intensified.
Saudi authorities also said missiles had been intercepted over Riyadh, with falling debris damaging civilian facilities, including a medical complex and a kindergarten. The authorities did not immediately substantiate the Houthis’ account of Thursday’s airport strike.
The Houthis have claimed responsibility for attacks on Saudi aviation infrastructure and threatened further operations against strategic facilities. Their statements have linked the attacks to Saudi Arabia’s military support for Yemen’s internationally recognised government.
The confrontation has intensified following renewed fighting in Yemen, where Saudi-backed government forces and the Houthis remain engaged in a struggle over territory and strategic transport routes.
For international carriers, the immediate concern centres on the possibility of further missile launches affecting airports or aircraft operating near threatened locations.
The suspensions have different expiry dates, meaning services could resume at varying times depending on individual airline assessments and prevailing security conditions. None of the announced dates guarantees an automatic return to normal operations.
Riyadh is also preparing to host major international business and energy gatherings, increasing attention on airport accessibility and the reliability of international connections.
Thursday’s disruption affected carriers serving different passenger markets, including travellers between Saudi Arabia and India and those using European connections operated by Lufthansa Group airlines.
Akasa Air’s announcement specifically covered two scheduled flights, while Air India confirmed the return of its Delhi service. IndiGo’s suspension applied to all its Riyadh arrivals and departures through October 9.
Cirium’s preliminary assessment, compiled during Thursday’s disruption, identified additional cancellations scheduled for Friday across airports elsewhere in Saudi Arabia.
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