Riyadh King Khalid Airport Suspends Flights After Deadly Incident

Operations at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh have been suspended following a serious attack on 10 October 2026. According to the Saudi civil aviation authority, reported by Al Arabiya English, Yahoo News UK, and Condé Nast Traveller Middle East, flight activities were halted after the strike. CBC reported that Saudi officials confirmed at least 12 people were killed and hundreds were injured in the event, while Al Jazeera and Condé Nast Traveller Middle East reported several injuries. [2][3][4][5][6][7]

The United Kingdom Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office advised British nationals to avoid King Khalid International Airport following the incident, which occurred at approximately 1500 local time. The agency updated its travel guidance to advise against all travel within 10 kilometres of the Saudi border with Yemen, as well as all but essential travel to Riyadh province, Aseer province, Najran province, Jizan province, Taif city, and Taif International Airport. The advisory noted that traveling against FCDO advice could invalidate travel insurance policies. [3]

The United States government also issued security alerts warning its citizens to avoid the airport area in Riyadh. TravelPulse, Gulf News, TVC News, and People Daily reported that American authorities urged citizens in Saudi Arabia to stay away from the facility following the fatal strikes. [1][8][9][10]

As FTMQ Travel reported earlier, the attack involved a Houthi missile strike on Terminal 3 that killed 12 people and left more than 300 injured, following previous disruptions in the region. An earlier incident on 9 October involved a ballistic missile striking a parked Saudia Airbus A320 aircraft, which led international carriers such as Air India and Lufthansa to halt services. [14][15]