Riyadh Airport. Photo: Shutterstock King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh announced yesterday (25.10.26) the reopening of some of the main terminals, after about two weeks of disruptions and shutdowns due to Houthi attacks in the country and at the airport itself. However, part of the airport remained shut down after being hit by the attack, and most foreign airlines have suspended their operations to Riyadh.
The latest disruptions come after severe security incidents that led to shutdowns and operational restrictions at Saudi airports. On October 11, 12 people were killed and about 300 others were injured in a Houthi attack on the airport.
Despite the reopening announcement, the flight schedule at Saudi Arabia's largest airport still shows that most flights in the country's skies are domestic flights operated by the local airline, Saudia. A very limited number of flights are expected to take off from Khalid Airport today, mainly to nearby destinations in the Middle East.
Foreign airlines still have not resumed flights. As a reminder, the European Aviation Safety Agency extended its recommendation to avoid flying over Saudi Arabia until November 16.
King Fahd International Airport in Dammam also reported resuming operations, despite a security incident there a few days ago. However, there is no blanket announcement at this stage about the reopening of all Saudi airports.