Saudi Arabia's Riyadh airport operations suspended; Air India flights cancelled till Oct 15

Following the Houthi attack that killed 12 people and injured more than 300, the operations at the King Khalid International Airport in Saudi Arabia's capital, Riyadh, are temporarily suspended. The airport's terminals 3 and 4, which handle regional operations, have reportedly suffered heavy damage. The airport had suffered attacks earlier in the week too. Currently, almost all outbound and inbound flights to the airport have been diverted or cancelled. A few flights are diverted to Dammam and Jeddah. The embassies of the UK, US, Canada, Ireland and Germany have also urged their citizens to avoid the airport and its nearby areas.

Major cancellations
Many airlines, including Air India, FlyDubai, Etihad, Qatar, Kuwait and Lufthansa airlines have cancelled or suspended the flights to and from Riyadh. The Air India flights to and from Riyadh will remain cancelled till October 15. The Air India Express flights will also remain cancelled till October 14. For other airlines, schedules are changing at short notice, and the situation remains highly fluid, says Gulf News. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has also warned operators about using the Saudi airspace.

What should passengers do?
The Riyadh Airport says on its X page that travellers should get in touch with their airline carriers to check flight status or any other updates, for compensation requests or baggage claims. They are also advised to check real-time flight statuses directly with their airline before leaving for the airport. Flyers should expect schedule shifts, delays and closures during their journey and pay close attention to updates from their airlines and airports. Those who have flights to or from Riyadh today shouldn't head to the airport unless the airline confirms that the flight is operating, or their respective terminal is safe to enter. Travellers can also consider rebooking their flights or booking their travel via alternative hubs.