Cirium Data Shows 4,071 Flights Canceled at King Khalid Since Mid-October

Aviation analytics firm Cirium reported on Monday that the disruption to air traffic in the Saudi capital has reached critical levels. The data indicates that a vast majority of scheduled movements have been halted in response to sustained aerial attacks.

Between October 8 and October 25, 4,071 flights were canceled at King Khalid International Airport. This figure represents approximately 86% of the 4,736 scheduled departures during that period. The airport serves as the second-busiest hub in the kingdom, trailing only Jeddah in total passenger volume.

Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi group intensified its campaign against Saudi infrastructure in recent weeks. They employed ballistic missiles and drones to strike airports, ports, and oil facilities. A specific attack on October 10 resulted in 13 deaths, marking the deadliest incident in the country in over ten years.

Saudi authorities partially resumed operations on Sunday after a pause that began on October 10. Domestic flights returned to Terminal 1, while national carriers were authorized to handle international services from Terminal 2. However, Houthi commanders declared the airport a military target again on Monday, complicating the return to normalcy.

The cancellations have extended beyond Riyadh to the rest of the country. Cirium data shows that 7,800 flights, or 45% of all scheduled departures from Saudi airports, were canceled between October 8 and October 25. The peak of the disruption occurred on October 12, when more than 60% of national flights were scrapped.

Other regional hubs have experienced severe reductions in capacity. Dammam saw a 42% cancellation rate, while Abha recorded a 46.7% drop. At Najran airport, near the Yemeni border, every scheduled flight was canceled. International carriers have suspended services to Riyadh through November, and Delta Air Lines has delayed the start of its local route until next year.