Riyadh Airport Records 94% Departure Cancellations After Houthi Strike

About 94% of scheduled departures from Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport were canceled between Oct. 10 and Oct. 27, a period that began with Houthi missile attacks and a suspension of airport operations.

The Oct. 10 strike caused casualties and prompted Saudi authorities to halt airport operations. Limited service resumed Oct. 25, but cancellations remained high through Oct. 27 amid continuing security threats and airline suspensions. The 94% figure applies to departures from King Khalid, rather than flights across all of Saudi Arabia.

Prediction-market contracts tied to a formal closure of Saudi airspace were priced at 0.2% for Nov. 1 and 13% for Jan. 1, 2027. The contracts concern a possible airspace closure, a separate measure from canceled departures at the airport. This distinction separates reported flight interruptions from a formal airspace shutdown. The Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation and Saudi Air Navigation Services were identified as agencies to watch for further announcements on airspace status.