Riyadh Airport Closure Extended Through October 17

Saudi aviation authorities extended the closure of King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh through 2100 UTC on October 17, citing the need to verify the safety and operational readiness of its facilities after deadly weekend attacks disrupted air travel. The General Authority of Civil Aviation announced the extension on Monday. A notice to airmen also listed the airport as unavailable until that time. Authorities have not announced when operations will resume after the closure period. The airport has been shut since an attack on Saturday, October 10. Saudi authorities’ reported toll for that strike was 13 dead and more than 300 injured, though one reviewed report gave a figure of 12 deaths. The supplied accounts do not establish a final casualty total. Reports of a second attack on Sunday, October 11, generally said one person was killed and about 11 injured. The strikes have sharply disrupted flights. Aviation analytics firm Cirium estimated that 99.7% of scheduled flights at Riyadh airport were cancelled on Sunday. It expected about 60% of scheduled flights across Saudi Arabia to be cancelled on Monday.