8,871 Saudi Flights Canceled as Houthi Strikes Ground Riyadh Air Traffic

Saudi Arabia has canceled 8,871 flights nationwide since October 8, according to data released Monday by aviation analytics firm Cirium. The figures represent 45% of all scheduled departures from airports across the kingdom during that 18-day period. The disruption stems from sustained missile and drone attacks by Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis, who have targeted aviation infrastructure, ports, and oil facilities.

The damage is most concentrated in the capital. At King Khalid International Airport, 4,071 of 4,736 scheduled flights were scrapped between October 8 and October 25. This accounts for roughly 86% of the airport's total scheduled capacity for that timeframe. The airport, the second-busiest in the country after Jeddah, was closed from October 10 to Sunday following an attack that killed 13 people. That incident marked the deadliest air strike in the kingdom in more than a decade.

Saudi authorities partially reopened the facility on Sunday. Domestic operations resumed from Terminal 1, while national carriers were authorized to conduct international services from Terminal 2. The return of operations was brief. On Monday, the Houthis announced a new attack on the airport, referring to it as a military target. In response, international airlines have suspended services to Riyadh through November, and Delta Air Lines has delayed the launch of its direct route to the capital until next year.

The aviation crisis has rippled into other sectors. Several major events in Riyadh have been canceled or postponed, including the kingdom's primary investment conference, as travel restrictions complicate logistics for attendees. The disruption has also affected other regional hubs. Dammam experienced a 42% cancellation rate, while Abha, where the Houthis claimed strikes, saw 46.7% of flights canceled. At Najran airport, located near the Yemeni border, 100% of scheduled flights were canceled.

Cancellations peaked nationally on October 12, when more than 60% of scheduled flights across Saudi Arabia were scrapped. The data indicates that the disruption has persisted since the initial October 10 closure. Smaller regional airports have suffered the highest percentage losses, with some losing the majority of their services entirely. The ongoing strikes have effectively reduced the kingdom's air network by nearly half over the past two weeks.