Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation announced on Monday, October 12, 2026, that the suspension of operations at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh has been extended, marking the latest significant development affecting air travel to and from the Saudi capital.

The authority said the extension is intended to allow the completion of necessary procedures to verify the safety of airport facilities and confirm their operational readiness in coordination with the relevant authorities. The official statement did not specify a final date for normal flight operations to resume.

The decision is particularly significant because King Khalid International Airport is one of Saudi Arabia’s major aviation hubs and serves a large network of domestic and international routes, including services connecting Riyadh with the UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, Egypt, Asia and Europe.

Separately, aviation notice information associated with the airport indicates that it is currently unavailable for flight operations until 21:00 UTC on October 17, equivalent to midnight in Saudi Arabia at the beginning of Sunday, October 18, 2026.

However, an important distinction should be made between the Saudi civil aviation authority’s official statement and the validity period contained in the aviation notice. GACA confirmed that operations remain suspended but did not announce a definitive reopening date, while the aviation notice defines the current operational restriction period and may still be extended or amended.

The continuing suspension has already resulted in cancellations and schedule changes by a number of regional and international airlines, with several carriers extending their own Riyadh service suspensions or adjusting flights over the coming days.

Passengers booked to travel to or from Riyadh should therefore continue checking directly with their airline, as each carrier may apply different arrangements involving cancellations, rebooking, refunds or alternative Saudi destinations.

Travellers are strongly advised to verify their flight status before heading to the airport and not to rely solely on the original booking schedule, as additional operational changes remain possible.

The expiry of the current aviation notice should not be interpreted as automatic confirmation that the airport will reopen at that exact time. Any resumption of normal operations will depend on the completion of safety procedures and formal operational clearance from the relevant Saudi authorities.

Source: Saudi Press Agency (SPA)