International service is interrupted
Lufthansa Group and three Indian airlines have suspended flights to Riyadh after attacks and renewed threats against Saudi aviation. The disruptions affect one of the Middle East’s busiest business destinations and come as regional conflict places new pressure on flight planning, insurance and passenger confidence.
Lufthansa said its group airlines would suspend Riyadh service through October 16. IndiGo canceled flights through October 9, while Air India and Akasa Air canceled service through October 10. Air India returned one Riyadh-bound flight to Delhi, and Akasa canceled two scheduled services.
What happened at the airport
Yemen’s Houthi movement said it struck King Khalid International Airport with a ballistic missile. Saudi authorities had not immediately confirmed that specific claim, but officials said attacks on Riyadh and Abha airports killed three people during the week. A Saudia aircraft was damaged in Thursday’s attack, and air traffic was temporarily disrupted.
Flight-tracking data showed several dozen international services to Riyadh canceled Thursday evening. Saudi authorities later said operations were returning to normal, but individual airlines continued to make their own security assessments.
What travelers should do
Passengers with itineraries touching Riyadh should check directly with the operating airline before leaving for the airport. A ticket sold by one carrier may be operated by a partner with a different suspension period. Travelers should also review connecting flights separately because a change in one segment can invalidate the rest of an itinerary.
Airlines normally offer rebooking or refunds when they cancel service, but the exact remedy depends on the ticket, carrier and jurisdiction. Travelers should preserve notices, receipts and written records of any alternative arrangements. Travel insurance may help with some expenses, though war and security exclusions vary widely.
Why suspensions may outlast airport closures
An airport can reopen before airlines restore their schedules. Carriers assess airspace risk, crew positioning, aircraft availability and whether an overnight stop is safe. They must also account for warnings from national aviation authorities and the possibility that a rapidly changing conflict will strand an aircraft or crew.
Even when flights resume, the network can take days to normalize. Canceled aircraft rotations create shortages elsewhere, while passengers moved from earlier flights compete for limited seats. Fares on available alternatives may rise sharply.
A wider regional risk
The attacks are part of intensified fighting involving Saudi Arabia and the Iran-aligned Houthi movement in Yemen. The conflict is also affecting shipping near the Red Sea and adding volatility to energy markets. Aviation disruption can spread beyond Saudi Arabia if carriers reroute around threatened airspace.
New York travelers are unlikely to have nonstop commercial service to every affected city, but connections through European, Gulf and Indian hubs can still be disrupted. A passenger beginning at Kennedy or Newark may encounter a cancellation several segments later.
The practical outlook
Published suspension dates are checkpoints, not guarantees that normal service will resume immediately. Airlines can extend or shorten restrictions as intelligence changes. Government travel advisories and airport notices provide useful context, but the operating carrier remains the authoritative source for a specific flight.
Passengers with essential travel should identify flexible alternatives before departure and avoid relying on a tight connection. Those whose trips can wait may benefit from postponing until carriers have operated stable schedules for several days.
Source: Reuters report on airline suspensions and airport disruption. Reporting reviewed October 9, 2026.