The Lufthansa Group and three major Indian airlines have suspended their flights to Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, due to recent tensions in Yemen and new threats from the Houthis. This action comes after the Houthis claimed to have targeted King Khalid Airport with a ballistic missile.
Flight Suspension and Its Reasons
A spokesperson for the Lufthansa Group announced that as a precautionary measure, all flights to Riyadh will be halted until October 16. This decision was influenced by "current developments in the Middle East." Additionally, the largest Indian airline, IndiGo, has announced the cancellation of its flights to and from Riyadh until October 9.
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Air India and Akasa Air have also similarly suspended all flights to and from Riyadh until October 10. Furthermore, Air India has reported that a flight from Delhi to Riyadh returned to its base on Thursday due to these conditions.
Consequences of Houthi Attacks
Eyewitnesses reported smoke rising from a stationary aircraft at Riyadh Airport on Thursday. Saudi officials have stated that three people lost their lives in attacks on Riyadh and Abha airports this week. Given these circumstances, several international flights scheduled to Riyadh have been canceled.
According to data collected from an aviation analytics company, as of 15:00 GMT, approximately 49.7% of outgoing flights from Riyadh Airport have been canceled, and it is expected that 31 more flights will be canceled on Friday. This statistic reflects the direct impact of regional tensions on air transport in the country.
In light of the current situation, it seems that the threats from the Houthis and their consequences for the Saudi aviation industry, especially as political and military tensions in the region are escalating, require greater caution and diligence from airlines and travelers.
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