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Riyadh’s international airport is expected to remain closed until Saturday, Oct. 17, following deadly Houthi attacks, as airlines cancel services and the disruption spreads beyond the Saudi capital.
For travelers leaving Cyprus, the flight to a Gulf hub may be only the first part of the journey. Getting to Dubai or Abu Dhabi is little help if the connecting service has been cancelled.
An aviation notice issued Monday extends the closure of King Khalid International Airport until Oct. 17, Reuters reported. Saudi authorities said operations were suspended while checks on the airport’s safety and readiness were completed. The closure date does not guarantee flights will immediately resume.
Airlines’ cancellation windows already stretch beyond that date in some cases. Lufthansa Group has suspended Riyadh services until Oct. 16, Air France-KLM until the end of October, and Gulf Air from Oct. 12 to 17. Air India and IndiGo have also extended cancellations on affected Saudi routes.
Closer to Cyprus, flydubai has cancelled flights to Riyadh, Dammam and Abha through Wednesday, Oct. 14. Etihad’s latest advisory, reported by The National, extends its Abu Dhabi–Riyadh cancellations until Oct. 19, with some services to other Saudi cities also affected.
The uncertainty also reaches passengers whose destination is outside Saudi Arabia. Airlines avoiding affected airspace may need longer routes, potentially adding flying time and making tight connections harder to catch. European aviation authorities have widened their Saudi airspace warning because of missile and drone activity.
Check the connection, too
Anyone departing from Larnaca or Paphos with a Gulf connection should check each flight directly with the airline before leaving home. An operating first flight does not confirm that the onward journey is going ahead.
Passengers facing cancellations should contact their airline or booking agent about alternative routes or refunds, and ask how changes affect the rest of their booking.
For journeys covered by EU passenger-rights rules, cancellation generally gives passengers a choice between reimbursement and rerouting. Security-related extraordinary circumstances can remove entitlement to additional cash compensation but do not automatically remove refund, rerouting, or applicable assistance rights. Protection for an onward connection also depends on the booking arrangements.
