Cirium records widespread disruption

Most scheduled flights to and from Riyadh were cancelled over an 18-day period this month as attacks by Yemen’s Houthi movement disrupted Saudi aviation, according to data from analytics firm Cirium cited by Reuters.

Cirium’s figures show 4,071 of 4,736 scheduled flights at King Khalid International Airport—about 86 per cent—were cancelled between 8 and 25 October. Across Saudi airports, more than 7,800 flights, or 45 per cent of scheduled departures, were cancelled during the same period.

Saudi authorities partially reopened Riyadh airport on Sunday after a halt that Reuters said began on 10 October. Domestic services resumed from Terminal 1, while national carriers were permitted to operate international flights from Terminal 2. International airlines have suspended services into November, Reuters reported.

A claimed new strike remains unverified

The Houthis said on Monday that they had attacked Riyadh airport again, Reuters reported. That claim had not been independently verified in the reporting reviewed for this article and should not be treated as confirmation of a new strike.

The flight data nevertheless show how the wider conflict has affected civilian travel and business. Reuters reported that the disruption contributed to cancellations or postponements of events in Riyadh, including the kingdom’s major investment conference. The figures also show substantial cancellations at other airports, including Dammam and Abha.

The partial reopening restores some movement but does not mean normal service has resumed. Passengers remain exposed to cancellations, rerouting and schedule changes, while airlines assess security conditions and operational risks.

The next measures of recovery will be the share of scheduled flights that actually operate, whether international carriers return and whether Saudi authorities can maintain service safely. Until those indicators improve, the airport’s reopening is a limited step rather than a return to normal.