Tourismupdated 39m ago3 min read
Houthi Allies Attack Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport, Evacuations Halt Air Traffic
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Houthi attacks forced evacuation of Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport and halted air traffic. Hundreds of flights canceled or diverted; multiple carriers suspended Riyadh services amid security concerns.
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Airport attack triggers chaos
King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, came under a new attack on Saturday and was evacuated, with air traffic at the airport stopping as attacks targeting the kingdom escalated, according to two regional officials speaking to the Associated Press. Eyewitnesses reported loud explosions at Riyadh Airport and the Saudi capital, and Reuters cited eyewitnesses and informed sources saying that more than 12 ambulances went to Riyadh International Airport. FlightRadar data, as reported by Reuters, showed all flights heading to Riyadh were diverted or canceled, and there was only a helicopter circling above the airport at one point.
King Khalid International Airport urged travelers to contact airlines directly and verify the status of their flights before heading to the airport, as Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways canceled several flights between their hubs and Riyadh, with some cancellations extending to next Monday. The new attack came after the airport suffered several attacks over the past week, after a Saudi-led coalition launched a broad military operation against Iran-backed Houthi forces in Yemen, according to the Associated Press.
Airlines cancel, traffic halts
Navigation sources reported a complete halt to air traffic at Riyadh Airport, with flights being diverted to other airports as the number of canceled flights at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh reached 221 since dawn today, amid a total suspension of air traffic.
Kuwait Airways canceled two flights between Kuwait City and Riyadh on Saturday, citing what it said was the closure of the Saudi capital's airport due to the "security situation."
Kuwait Airways said it canceled flight KU775 from Kuwait to Riyadh and return flight KU776 on Oct. 10, and the airline statement said the cancellations were due to the closure of the airport resulting from the security situation.
King Khalid International Airport urged passengers to communicate directly with air carriers and verify the status of their flight before heading to the airport, and the airport said it thanked passengers for their understanding and cooperation.
Flight Radar data showed all flights bound for Riyadh Airport diverting away from the airport amid a complete halt to air traffic, as Kuwait Airways also announced the cancellation of two flights to and from Riyadh due to the airport’s closure.
Tourism and travel risk
Western embassies in Saudi Arabia warned their citizens away from Riyadh airport after reports it was attacked, and the airport told passengers to check with their airline before travelling there. The BBC said all flights to Riyadh had either been diverted or canceled, with aviation tracker Flightradar showing the disruption as several Gulf airlines canceled flights to and from the airport. Canada’s embassy advised citizens to avoid all travel to the airport, noting "ongoing military activity," while the airport issued a terse alert telling passengers to check their flight status with airlines before heading to the airport.
FlightAware reported that at least 225 flights at the airport had been canceled over the past 24 hours, as the attack unfolded during a marked escalation in renewed fighting between Yemen's Saudi-backed government forces and the Houthis. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency expanded its guidance on Saudi airspace, noting the Houthis’ ability to strike targets deeper inside the kingdom, including Riyadh, and warning that the missile and drone attacks and interception efforts "create an increased risk of misidentification of civil aircraft," as airlines suspended Riyadh routes.