What the Riyadh Airport Attack Means for Travelers as Airlines Suspend Flights

Travelers booked to Riyadh face canceled flights after explosions struck the Saudi capital's main airport on Thursday. Lufthansa Group said its airlines will not fly to Riyadh through Oct. 16, and several Indian carriers have paused service for shorter periods.

Saudi officials said three Saudi citizens were killed and several other people wounded in attacks on the airport, according to The Guardian. Yemen's Houthi rebels claimed responsibility.

What this means for people flying to or from Riyadh

According to flight monitor FlightAware, more than 275 flights were canceled at King Khalid International Airport on Thursday, ABC News reported. That was 40% of scheduled arrivals and 30% of scheduled departures.

The flight-tracking service Flightradar24 said the airport had "closed again" on Thursday afternoon, with the last landing more than 80 minutes earlier and the last takeoff more than 90 minutes earlier. The Saudia Group, the Saudi national carrier, said operations at the airport returned to normal at 6 p.m. Thursday, hours after the attack, according to The Guardian.

Airlines have taken different approaches:

• Lufthansa Group: its airlines suspend Riyadh flights through Oct. 16, citing current developments in the Middle East.
• Air India: a Thursday flight from Delhi to Riyadh returned to Delhi and was canceled. The airline halted all service to and from Riyadh until Saturday, saying it acted in the interest of safety.
• Akasa Air: flights suspended through Saturday.
• IndiGo: Riyadh service canceled through Friday.

The Indian Embassy in Riyadh posted updates on X about the suspensions. Passengers with tickets should expect to check directly with their airlines, since the sources show the suspension dates differ.

What happened at the airport

The Saudi statement said the first attack on Thursday afternoon targeted airport facilities and the second struck aircraft. It did not name those responsible. The Houthis said they hit the airport with a ballistic missile but offered no evidence, ABC News reported. Their military spokesman later said the group fired more ballistic and cruise missiles at airports in Riyadh and the southwestern city of Najran. The Saudis had no immediate comment on those claims.

Among the dead was Capt. Hamoud Ali Alkalthami, the Saudia Group said. The group said one of its aircraft was damaged on the ground with no passengers aboard. Saudi aviation officials said the injuries to citizens and people of other nationalities ranged from minor to serious.

Why the attack is a turning point

The Guardian described it as the deadliest attack in Saudi Arabia since the kingdom and allied forces in Yemen launched a major offensive against the Iran-backed Houthis last weekend. It also appeared to be the first confirmed attack on Saudia since that offensive began. The newspaper called it a significant escalation in the latest front of the Iran war, which has kept oil prices and markets jumpy.

The Houthis say they are targeting Saudi Arabia because it supports government forces in Yemen's reignited civil war. Saudi Arabia says it is backing a drive by Yemen's UN-recognized government to retake territory from the Houthis. The Saudi-led coalition said it destroyed three rocket launch platforms used by the rebels.

On the ground in Yemen, the Houthis have advanced quickly across the coastal plain over the past month and approached the city of Taiz on Wednesday, according to The Guardian. Independent observers warned the group could capture Taiz, and some signs suggested government-linked forces were pulling back to secure the port city of Aden.

What to watch next

Riyadh is due to host the WPC Energy Congress, a major meeting of energy policymakers, this week, The Guardian reported. The sources do not say whether the attack will affect the event. Airline suspensions currently run to dates between Friday and Oct. 16, and carriers have not said whether they will extend them.

Sources: ABC News, The Guardian