RIYADH: Airlines are cancelling flights to Riyadh after the Ansar Allah struck two airports in Saudi Arabia in recent days, killing three people and injuring dozens.
Singapore Air postponed the launch of its services until March 28, citing the conflict in the Middle East. Philippine Airlines cancelled flights to the capital until at least October 11.
Saudia, the country’s national carrier; EgyptAir; Indigo; and Air India Ltd. cancelled dozens of flights out of Riyadh on Thursday in the aftermath of the attacks.
Operations at King Khalid International Airport have shut down for several hours and restarted multiple times during the past few days as incoming attacks from Yemen make it unsafe for planes to land or take off from there. Abha Airport in the southwest also came under fire.
Several American and European carriers still avoid flying to the Middle East since Iran started targeting countries in the Gulf earlier this year.
Disruptions over large swaths of the region have become common since the start of hostilities between Israel and neighbouring nations three years ago. During that time, Saudi Arabia’s airspace has become a vital corridor for flights diverting from riskier skies over Iran, Jordan, Iraq and Syria.
Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport is seeing significant flight disruption on Thursday, with 169 of 378 scheduled departures cancelled or not operating as of 4:25 pm local time, according to aviation analytics company Cirium.
That represents 44.7 per cent of all scheduled departures from Riyadh on Thursday. Arrivals are also affected, with 124 of 369 scheduled inbound flights cancelled or not operating, equivalent to 33.6 per cent.
Saudia is experiencing the largest disruption by volume, with 97 of 140 scheduled departures cancelled or not flying — about 69.3 per cent of its Riyadh departures.
For inbound services, 87 of 136 scheduled Saudia flights, or 64 per cent, were cancelled or not operating.
Flynas had 30 of 91 scheduled departures affected, or 33 per cent, while Flyadeal recorded 20 cancellations or no-fly services from 54 scheduled departures, equivalent to 37 per cent.
Several international airlines are also reporting disruptions from Riyadh.
All four scheduled Turkish Airlines departures from Riyadh were listed as cancelled or not operating, while Qatar Airways had three of eight departures affected. EgyptAir had two of four departures affected and Oman Air one of three.
In Riyadh, home to a large number of non-Saudis, diplomats were instructed to shelter in place in their respective embassies, diplomats said.
There was no official statement addressing the morning’s incident or text alerts warning residents, which were sent out during earlier periods of the conflict.
A campaign by the interior ministry has repeatedly warned residents against sharing unauthorised information, images or footage of missiles, drones and their impacts, warning that violators could face legal consequences. — Agencies
