Airlines including Lufthansa and Air India have temporarily suspended operations to Riyadh following reports of explosions in the Saudi capital on Thursday, which included a large blast heard at King Khalid International Airport. The disruption led to the cancellation of more than 275 flights at the airport, according to data from flight monitor FlightAware, accounting for 40% of scheduled arrivals and 30% of scheduled departures.
Global flight-tracking service Flightradar24 noted on X that the airport had "closed again" Thursday afternoon, reporting that the last landing occurred more than 80 minutes prior and the last takeoff more than 90 minutes earlier. The Houthi military spokesman later claimed the group had fired additional ballistic and cruise missiles at airports in Riyadh and the southwestern city of Najran, asserting that these attacks were responsible for the flight disruptions.
In response to the situation, the Lufthansa Group announced that it would suspend all flights to Riyadh through October 16, citing "current developments in the Middle East." Indian airlines also moved to halt services, according to statements from the Indian Embassy in Riyadh on X. Air India confirmed that, in the interest of safety, a flight from Delhi to Riyadh was turned back earlier on Thursday and subsequently canceled, alongside all other services to and from the capital through Saturday. The airline added that it is closely monitoring the situation.
Other carriers have also adjusted their schedules in light of the security concerns. Budget carrier Akasa Air stated it is suspending flights to and from Riyadh through Saturday, while low-cost carrier IndiGo confirmed the cancellation of its Riyadh service through Friday.
