Airlines around the world are cancelling flights to Riyadh after missile and drone attacks on Saudi airports by Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement forced the kingdom’s main international gateway to shut down.
King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh has been closed since Saturday, October 10, following what Reuters described as deadly weekend attacks that killed 13 people. A Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) issued on Monday confirmed the airport will remain closed until October 17, and carriers are suspending services on timelines ranging from days to, in some cases, next year.
Key Takeaways
- King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh closed until October 17 after deadly weekend attacks.
- Lufthansa, Air France-KLM, IndiGo, Air India, Cathay Pacific and Delta are among the carriers that have suspended or delayed Saudi routes.
- PIA has temporarily halted its Riyadh flights while other Pakistan–Saudi routes continue normally.
Why Are Airlines Cancelling Riyadh Flights?
The weekend strikes are the latest and most severe in a rapid escalation. On October 8, an attack damaged a commercial aircraft operated by Saudi state carrier Saudia Airlines while it was parked at the airport, and Saudi authorities reported that earlier attacks on Riyadh and Abha airports killed three people and injured 36, including a Pakistani national.
The Houthis have claimed responsibility for targeting Saudi aviation infrastructure, and a Houthi spokesperson has warned airlines operating in Saudi airspace that certain locations are designated targets. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency has also expanded the area in which it advises airlines against flying, citing the attacks and broader risks to civil aviation.
It is worth noting that casualty figures come from official Saudi and media reporting, and some details circulating on social media — including videos purporting to show damage at the airport — have not been independently verified.
Which Airlines Have Suspended Flights to Riyadh?
Here is a rundown of the major carriers that have pulled services, based on official airline statements reported through October 12:
| Airline | Suspension details |
|---|---|
| Lufthansa Group | All flights to Riyadh cancelled until October 16 |
| Air France-KLM | Riyadh suspension extended until the end of October |
| Etihad Airways | All flights to Saudi Arabia suspended until October 13 |
| IndiGo | Riyadh and Dammam routes cancelled until October 15 |
| Air India | Riyadh flights suspended until October 15 |
| Akasa Air | Jeddah and Riyadh flights suspended until October 13 |
| Gulf Air | Riyadh flights cancelled October 12–17 |
| Philippine Airlines | Riyadh suspension extended until November 29 |
| Cathay Pacific | Hong Kong–Dubai and Hong Kong–Riyadh resumptions postponed through January 31, 2027 |
| Delta Air Lines | Planned Atlanta–Riyadh launch delayed until March 2027 |
The list shows two distinct reactions. Most regional and Asian carriers have imposed short-term suspensions of one to six weeks, subject to daily security reviews. Cathay Pacific and Delta — both of which had future or recently relaunched routes — have effectively parked their Saudi plans for months, signalling deeper uncertainty about the security environment.
Other carriers, including Emirates, Qatar Airways and Turkish Airlines, were still operating in the region as of the latest reports, but with monitoring in place and schedules subject to change at short notice.
What This Means for Pakistani Travellers
The disruption matters enormously for Pakistan, which has one of the largest diaspora populations in Saudi Arabia — over two million Pakistanis work in the kingdom, and the Gulf corridor is among the busiest travel routes in South Asia.
PIA suspends Riyadh flights
Pakistan International Airlines announced on October 9 that it had temporarily suspended its flight operations to Riyadh as a precautionary measure. A PIA spokesperson said passengers should stay in touch with the airline’s call centre (111-786-786) for the latest flight status and rebooking options.
Crucially, the Pakistan Airports Authority has clarified that only Riyadh flights are affected — PIA’s other operations to Saudi Arabia, including Jeddah, are continuing as usual. The authority also dismissed rumours circulating on social media about wider suspensions as untrue.
Several scheduled services have been cancelled as a direct result, including PIA’s Islamabad–Riyadh flights PK-753 and PK-754.
Umrah pilgrims and Hajj travel
Travel to Jeddah — the gateway for Umrah — is continuing normally, according to the PAA clarification. However, passengers whose itineraries route through Riyadh, or who were booked on suspended regional carriers via Gulf hubs, should expect rebooking or rerouting. Anyone with travel plans to the kingdom in the coming weeks should check flight status directly with their airline before heading to the airport, as schedules are changing daily.
Workers and expats
For the hundreds of thousands of Pakistani workers who fly the Riyadh route regularly, the suspension is a short-term headache rather than a shutdown: with the airport closed through October 17 and multiple carriers extending into mid-to-late October, tickets may be hard to secure at short notice. Refund and free-rescheduling policies are available from most affected airlines, but passengers should confirm the terms with their specific carrier rather than assuming identical policies.
Will Flights Resume Soon?
The honest answer: it depends on the security situation, not the calendar. The airport’s NOTAM runs through October 17, and most airlines have set review dates between October 13 and October 31 — but those dates are targets, not promises. Airline suspensions to the region have been extended repeatedly since the escalation began in early October.
Two things to watch:
- Whether the NOTAM gets extended past October 17. If the airport stays closed, suspensions will almost certainly follow.
- Whether attacks recur. Airlines are making day-by-day operational decisions; a new strike would likely trigger another wave of cancellations across the Gulf corridor.
The Bigger Picture
The flight suspensions are the most visible sign yet of how the Houthi–Saudi escalation is spilling into civilian life. The Gulf aviation corridor — one of the world’s busiest — is now the front line of the disruption, with thousands of cascade delays reported at airports across the region over the weekend. For Pakistan’s travellers, workers and pilgrims, the situation is fluid. The safest advice remains the simplest: confirm before you fly.
This article will be updated as airlines revise their schedules. Last updated: October 13, 2026.
