Riyadh Air Now Lands You 270 Miles From Riyadh

Riyadh Air has moved its Riyadh operations out of the capital. Flights that would normally touch down at King Khalid International now land at Al Qassim airport, roughly 434 kilometers (270 miles) away and about four and a half hours by road, because Houthi attacks on the Saudi capital have continued. Passengers on services to Cairo, Jeddah, Dhaka, London, Lahore and Islamabad are affected, according to Skift’s reporting.

Instead of a terminal transfer, travelers get a long coach ride. A free bus links Al Qassim with the InterContinental Durrat Al Riyadh hotel in the capital, and hotel check-in for departures opens 8 hours and 15 minutes before takeoff. The airline says the arrangement will remain until it can operate from King Khalid again, and it is offering free rebooking for travel through November 7. Saudia is also sending some Riyadh flights through Al Qassim and Dammam, with bus transfers included in the fare.

The backdrop is grim. An October 10 missile strike on King Khalid International killed 13 people and injured 308, and Cirium schedule data show that 86% of flights there have been canceled since October 8, compared with 42% at Dammam and 22% at Jeddah. A Houthi military spokesperson said the airport would never be safe.

The timing is awkward for a carrier that only began commercial flights this summer and was meant to anchor Saudi Arabia’s ambition to turn Riyadh into a global aviation hub. Anyone holding a ticket to or through the capital should check their booking directly with the airline and budget far more time on the ground than the flight schedule implies.

Sources: Skift