Are flights to Riyadh suspended? Airport reopens after attacks, but Air India and Lufthansa halt service

Flights to Riyadh are not suspended across the board, but several airlines have halted their services. Saudi Arabia’s aviation authority said on Friday, October 9, that operations at King Khalid International Airport had resumed after two attacks on Thursday killed three Saudi citizens and wounded others. Air India and Akasa Air have suspended Riyadh flights through Saturday, October 10; Lufthansa Group has suspended them through Friday, October 16. Travellers should check their specific flight before leaving for the airport.

What happened at Riyadh airport?

Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation said the first attack on Thursday, October 8, targeted airport facilities and the second struck an aircraft belonging to Saudia. The attacks killed three Saudi citizens and injured several other people of different nationalities, with injuries ranging from minor to serious. Facilities and property were damaged.

Saudia said its aircraft was on the ground and had no passengers aboard when it was damaged. The airline said one of its employees was among those killed. Yemen’s Houthi rebels claimed an attack on the airport, but the Saudi aviation authority’s casualty announcement did not identify who carried out the strikes.

Flights were heavily disrupted on Thursday: flight-monitoring data showed more than 275 cancellations at King Khalid International Airport. The aviation authority subsequently said airport operations had resumed and air traffic had returned to normal. That airport-wide update does not mean every airline has restarted its Riyadh service.

Is Air India flying to Riyadh today?

No regular Air India service to or from Riyadh is expected under the suspension announced as of Friday, October 9. The airline said a Delhi–Riyadh flight turned back to Delhi on Thursday and was cancelled. The Indian Embassy in Riyadh said Air India had suspended operations through Saturday, October 10. Air India Express also announced cancellations to and from Riyadh until October 10.

Other announced disruptions have different end dates:

• IndiGo: Riyadh flights were cancelled through Friday, October 9.
• Akasa Air: Riyadh flights were suspended through Saturday, October 10.
• Lufthansa Group airlines: Riyadh flights were suspended through Friday, October 16.

These dates describe the airlines’ announced plans as of October 9, not guaranteed restart times. A carrier may change its schedule, and an airport can be open while individual flights remain cancelled.

What should passengers do?

If you are booked to fly to or from Riyadh, check the flight number and booking status directly in your airline’s app or website before travelling to the airport. Do not rely on a route appearing in a general booking search as confirmation that your particular flight will operate. If your flight is cancelled, use the airline’s booking-management or customer-support channel to confirm rebooking or refund options; passengers who booked through a travel agent should also contact that agent.

Travellers with onward connections should check each leg of the trip, including the return flight. Keep the airline’s latest notification and your booking details available: the announced suspension dates may change if conditions change.