PETALING JAYA: Batik Air has cancelled its scheduled flight to Saudi Arabia tonight as a precautionary measure in the wake of the attack on Riyadh’s international airport that left about 12 people dead and more than 300 wounded.
The airline said Flight OD701 bound for King Abdulaziz International Airport (JED) at 7.25pm was cancelled as “a precautionary measure”.
It said the safety and security of passengers and crew remain the airline’s highest priority.
“Batik Air is monitoring developments and maintaining coordination with the relevant aviation authorities, airport operators and other stakeholders to assess the potential impact on flight operations.
“The airline will continue to review the situation and make operational decisions based on the latest available information and applicable safety requirements,” it said in a statement.
Batik Air said the affected passengers have been rescheduled to the next available flight and will be notified of the changes.
Passengers are also encouraged to monitor Batik Air’s official website and social media channels for the latest updates on flight operations, it said.
On Saturday, Riyadh’s international airport was attacked for the third time in a week by Iran-backed Houthis.
Before the attack, two previous attacks on the airport left four people dead and caused heavy damage to a Saudi commercial plane parked on the tarmac.
Earlier today, New Straits Times, quoting social media users, reported that some flights bound for Saudi Arabia were diverted to Madinah following the Riyadh attack.