Riyadh Air’s Next Departure Gate Is a 4.5-Hour Bus Ride Away

Riyadh Air, the Saudi start-up carrier that has barely begun flying, is relocating its operation to a different airport. Starting October 25, the airline plans to resume flights from Al Qassim Airport, roughly 400 kilometres (about 250 miles) from the capital, rather than from King Khalid International in Riyadh. The move follows repeated Houthi attacks on the Riyadh airport that, according to One Mile at a Time, have killed at least 15 people, injured more than 300 and destroyed a Saudia Airbus A320.

Riyadh’s airport has resumed only in a limited way, handling cargo aircraft and operating with prior permission, while passenger flights there have not restarted. Riyadh Air had already suspended operations in recent weeks and moved its aircraft out of the city after reports that one of its new Dreamliners was damaged. The initial destinations from Al Qassim are Cairo, Dhaka, Islamabad, Jeddah, London Heathrow and Lahore.

For passengers, the practical fix is a coach. Travellers can begin in Riyadh by checking in at the InterContinental Hotel Durrat Al Riyadh, where check-in opens between 15 minutes and two hours before a complimentary coach departs. The ride takes about four and a half hours and is timed to arrive at Al Qassim 30 minutes before baggage cut-off, which turns a short airport transfer into a half-day commitment before the flight itself even begins.

The arrangement carries its own risk. The report notes that Al Qassim could also become a target, although recent attacks have centred on Riyadh. Anyone booked on the airline should confirm the departure point, allow generous time for the transfer and check current government advice, since the US has just reissued travel advisories across the region and many carriers have suspended Saudi routes into November and beyond.

Sources: One Mile at a Time, The National