Saudi Airport Attacks Trigger Airline Suspensions: Riyadh Flight Changes, Dates and Advisories

Houthi missile and drone attacks on Saudi airports from October 6 to 8, 2026 have pushed several international carriers to suspend or cut flights to Riyadh. Lufthansa Group airlines have paused Riyadh service through October 16, while Air India, Akasa Air and IndiGo have halted flights for periods in the October 8 to 10 window. Cancellation counts differ sharply between reports, so the most reliable picture is a short-term disruption with uncertain end dates.

What happened at Riyadh and Abha airports

Quick facts: The attacks hit Abha on October 6, Riyadh's King Khalid International on October 7, and King Khalid again on October 8.

The National's October 8 report says Houthi drone and missile strikes on King Khalid and Abha killed three people and injured 36, citing Saudi Arabia's General Authority of Civil Aviation. A separate Travel Tourister roundup reports that a Saudia Airbus A320 was damaged on October 8 and the airport was temporarily closed. Casualty figures vary across outlets, and the Houthis have claimed further attacks on October 9 that Saudi authorities had not confirmed at the time of reporting.

How large is the flight disruption?

Quick facts: Reported cancellation figures range from about 3% of one day's Riyadh departures to a headline claim of nearly half.

Flightradar24 data cited by The National showed 11 cancellations, roughly 3% of the day's scheduled services, and 58 delays, about 15%, with an average delay of 45 minutes. A Khaleej Times headline put the share of cancelled departures at nearly half, a figure that does not match the Flightradar24 numbers. Travel Tourister's October 9 FlightAware-based count gives 278 cancellations and 162 delays at Riyadh. Treat these as snapshots from different hours and data sources, not as a settled total.

Which airlines have suspended Riyadh service?

Quick facts: Lufthansa Group is paused through October 16, and other carriers have shorter or undated halts.

Lufthansa Group

Lufthansa Group airlines, including SWISS, Austrian and Edelweiss, suspended flights to Riyadh through October 16, according to The Star's October 8 report, which also carried a Reuters-attributed version of the story. A spokesperson cited "current developments in the Middle East" as the reason.

Air India, Akasa Air and IndiGo

Air India cancelled Riyadh flights until October 10, and Akasa Air halted service from October 8 to 10. UAE carriers also announced Riyadh delays and cancellations. IndiGo suspended Riyadh flights on October 9. These dates are reported in different outlets and should be confirmed with each airline before any rebooking decision.

Delta and new routes

Delta's planned October 23 Riyadh launch is reported as under review, according to Travel Tourister. Carriers with planned launches should be expected to revise schedules as the security situation changes.

What are the Gulf airspace regulators and governments saying?

Quick facts: EASA renewed its conflict-zone advisory for Gulf airspace on October 9, calling for enhanced safety assessments rather than grounding flights.

Travel Tourister reports that the European Union Aviation Safety Agency renewed its advisory covering the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman on October 9. That advisory asks operators to conduct enhanced safety assessments but does not ground flights. The US embassy in Riyadh told American citizens to check flight status directly with airlines and the airport, according to The National.

Government travel advice on Saudi Arabia was already elevated before these attacks. Gulf News reported in July that Canada and the UK had issued Saudi warnings tied to the Abha area and the Yemen border. Canada's Saudi Arabia travel advice page is the place to check current wording, since that July coverage is now dated.

What should travelers check right now?

Quick facts: Confirm flight status directly with the operating airline, and check government advice for your passport country.

Passengers with Riyadh connections should check the operating carrier's app or website rather than relying on third-party aggregators, since reported dates differ by outlet. Gulf News has also reported the airport's own warnings of delays and cancellations, which are worth monitoring alongside airline notices. If a flight is cancelled, ask the airline about rebooking options in writing before accepting a voucher or changed itinerary.

Travelers whose itineraries run through Dubai, Doha or Istanbul should also check those hubs. Earlier Gulf disruptions, including the July Dubai suspensions and September US-Iran airspace disruptions, show how quickly routing can change.

What the data does not yet show

Quick facts: No public end date exists for most suspensions, and casualty counts differ across sources.

Most of the suspensions reported here have set end dates only for Lufthansa Group (October 16) and Air India (October 10). Delta, IndiGo and Akasa have no published return date in the sources reviewed. Earlier Riyadh disruption in September was documented by Rotate Pilot, which shows the pattern predates this week. Casualty and damage figures also differ between the General Authority of Civil Aviation figures cited by The National and the account in Travel Tourister. For more background, read our October 9 coverage of the Riyadh strikes, which covers the earlier stages of the same disruption.

People also ask

Are flights to Riyadh cancelled right now?

Some are. Lufthansa Group airlines have suspended Riyadh service through October 16, and Air India, Akasa Air and IndiGo have halted flights for periods reported as October 8 to 10. Other carriers are operating with delays and selective cancellations. Check your specific flight with the operating airline, since status changes frequently during security incidents.

Will I get a refund if my Riyadh flight is cancelled?

Refund rights depend on the airline, the ticket type, and the passenger's home jurisdiction, and the sources reviewed for this article do not set out those rules. Request written confirmation of the cancellation and the refund or rebooking options, and keep receipts for any extra costs.

Is it safe to fly through Gulf airspace right now?

According to Travel Tourister, EASA's October 9 renewal of its conflict-zone advisory did not ground flights; it calls for enhanced safety assessments. Airlines make their own decisions about routing, so the safety picture depends on the carrier and route. Monitor government advisories and airline notices before departure.

Which airlines have suspended Riyadh flights?

Reported suspensions include Lufthansa Group airlines through October 16, Air India until October 10, Akasa Air from October 8 to 10, and IndiGo on October 9. Delta has a planned October 23 launch under review. Because reports differ, confirm each carrier's current status directly before making travel decisions.

Where can I find the official travel advice for Saudi Arabia?

Canada's official advice is published on its government travel site, and the UK and US publish their own advisories. These pages are updated as conditions change, so check them close to your departure date rather than relying on older news summaries.

Facts checked against current sources as of October 10, 2026. Confirm flight status, refund rights and government advice with your airline and official sources before booking or traveling.