Flights to Saudi Arabia have been severely disrupted following a series of attacks on the country’s international airports, with operations at King Khalid International Airport (RUH) in Riyadh suspended and airlines cancelling services.
According to Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), an attack on RUH on October 10 killed 12 people and injured 309. A further attack on October 11 killed one person and injured 11. King Fahd International Airport (DMM) in Dammam was also targeted on October 11.
Riyadh operations suspended
GACA suspended operations at RUH on October 10. “King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh was targeted by an attack, amid continued attacks targeting civil aviation facilities in the Kingdom. The attacks resulted in injuries and property damage; assessments and safety inspections of airport facilities are under way,” said GACA.
On October 12, the authority announced that the suspension had been extended to allow the completion of procedures to ensure the safety and operational readiness of airport facilities. No reopening date has been announced.
Airlines face severe disruptions
According to FlightRadar24 data, RUH saw 330 flight cancellations on October 11, impacting services offered by Qatar, Emirates, Turkish Airlines and Ethiopian Airlines.
Qatar Airways has announced that it will adjust its Riyadh schedule and advised passengers to check their flight status prior to travelling to the airport.
Ethiopian Airlines has suspended its flights to Riyadh and Dammam due to the current safety situation.
“We will provide further updates as the situation develops,” said the carrier.
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