More than 300 flights due to depart Saudi Arabia tomorrow (October 14) have already been cancelled, according to data from aviation analytics firm Cirium, extending a week of heavy disruption that began with Houthi attacks on the kingdom’s airports.
Of 1,097 departures scheduled for October 14, as many as 313 (28.53 per cent) are marked as cancelled or no-fly, and the figure may rise as the day approaches.
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On October 13, around 556 of 1,058 scheduled departures, or 52.55 per cent, were cancelled or marked as no-fly, Cirium’s figures show. That is down from the peak of the past week.
The worst day so far was October 12, when 632 of 1,048 flights (60.31 per cent) were affected.
More than 3,100 – or 40 per cent – of Saudi flights have been cancelled between October 8 and 14.
Saudi carriers worst affected
Between October 8 and 13, the kingdom’s three largest airlines recorded the highest volumes of cancellations. These were led by Saudia, with 1,091 of 2,273 flights (48 per cent); flynas, with 564 of 1,183 (47.68 per cent); and flyadeal, with 496 of 975 (50.87 per cent).
Riyadh Air was affected most severely among Saudi airlines in proportion, with 80 of 113 flights (70.80 per cent) cancelled.
By airport, Riyadh’s King Khalid International is the most affected today, with 296 of 334 departures (88.62 per cent) cancelled or marked as no-fly, more than half of all cancellations across the kingdom.
At Dammam’s King Fahd International, 58 of 114 flights (50.88 per cent) are affected. Jeddah’s King Abdulaziz International has 105 of 370 (28.38 per cent) cancelled, and Madinah’s Prince Mohammad Bin Abdulaziz International has 19 of 88 (21.59 per cent) cancelled.
Smaller airports have been hit harder. Abha lost 22 of 38 flights (57.89 per cent), Tabuk 9 of 22 (40.91 per cent) and Taif 8 of 12 (66.67 per cent). Every scheduled departure today has been cancelled at Yanbu, Najran, Qaisumah, Hafar Al Batin, Sharurah, NEOM Bay, Turaif, Rafha and Wedjh.
By contrast, Gassim’s Prince Nayef bin Abdulaziz Regional Airport has cancelled just 1 of 16 flights (6.25 per cent).
Riyadh attacks
The disruption follows a series of attacks by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi group on Saudi airports, which have taken place against the backdrop of the US-Iran war that began on February 28.
On October 8, attacks on King Khalid International Airport killed three Saudi citizens, including a Saudia captain, and damaged a Saudia aircraft on the ground, according to the General Authority of Civil Aviation (Gaca). Operations resumed that evening.
On October 10, an attack on a passenger terminal at King Khalid killed 12 people and injured 309, Gaca said. It was the third attack on the Riyadh hub in a week. The Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthis called it a war crime and vowed a decisive response, while the UAE condemned the attack in the strongest terms.
A fresh attack on October 11 killed a Pakistani resident and injured 11 others, according to Gaca. Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had earlier said six Pakistani nationals were hurt in the October 10 strike.
Saudi authorities have since extended the suspension of operations at King Khalid, and a Notice to Airmen (Notam) shows the airport will stay closed until October 17.
UAE carriers have extended their cancellations. Etihad Airways has cancelled all Abu Dhabi-Riyadh flights until October 19, citing regional disruption, and has also cancelled services to Jeddah and Dammam until October 14. flydubai has cancelled flights to Riyadh, Dammam and Abha until October 19.
Gulf Air has cancelled all Riyadh flights until October 17, while Air France has also suspended Riyadh services until October 31.