RIYADH: Saudi authorities on Monday extended the suspension of operations at Riyadh’s international airport following deadly weekend attacks blamed on Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis.
King Khalid International Airport, Saudi Arabia’s second-busiest airport after Jeddah, remains closed to allow officials to complete safety checks and assess the operational readiness of its facilities.
The Saudi civil aviation authority said the suspension would remain in place to ensure the safety of the airport’s infrastructure and operations.
Deadly Attacks Disrupt Saudi Aviation
The airport has been closed since Saturday’s attack, which killed 13 people and wounded more than 300, according to the reports cited. It was described as the deadliest attack in the kingdom in more than a decade.
A further attack on Sunday killed a Pakistani national and injured nearly a dozen other people.
The incidents have caused one of the most significant disruptions to Saudi aviation in years. They have also added pressure to an airline industry already affected by conflict across the Middle East.
According to aviation analytics firm Cirium, the airport cancelled 99.7 per cent of its scheduled flights on Sunday. Meanwhile, flight-tracking service Flightradar24 showed no aircraft over Riyadh.
Airlines Extend Flight Cancellations
The disruption has prompted airlines across Europe and Asia to suspend services. On Sunday, the US Federal Aviation Administration also advised American carriers to exercise caution when flying to or over Saudi Arabia.
Lufthansa Group has cancelled all flights to Riyadh until October 16. Air France-KLM has extended its earlier suspension of flights to and from the Saudi capital until the end of October.
Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways has also extended cancellations affecting around 20 flights to Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam on Monday and Tuesday.
Economic and Business Events Face Uncertainty
The escalation has raised concerns about the wider economic impact on Saudi Arabia. The kingdom’s real gross domestic product is projected to contract by 3.6 per cent this year, partly due to lower oil activity.
The attacks have also put major events scheduled in Riyadh this month under pressure. These include the kingdom’s flagship investment conference and the WPC Energy Congress.
Several senior oil executives have reportedly been removed from the energy congress programme, adding to uncertainty surrounding major business gatherings in the Saudi capital.
