Riyadh airport partially reopens but flight cancellations to Saudi Arabia continue until November

ISLAMABAD: Tensions in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East have disrupted air travel in Pakistan. More than 50 arriving and departing flights were affected at Allama Iqbal International Airport Lahore and other airports across the country. All flights to Riyadh are cancelled.

Twenty-five flights of local and foreign airlines to and from Jeddah, Dammam, Dubai, Sharjah, Qatar and Turkey were delayed. Airlines have directed passengers to get full flight information before coming to the airport.

According to Condé Nast Traveler Middle East, King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh partially reopened on Sunday 25 October, with Terminals 1 and 2 in operation. However, several airlines have extended route cancellations until next month. It said attacks on Saudi airports and installations have continued since the start of October. Riyadh was the worst affected. Its airport was targeted four times, with more than 300 people injured and 17 killed.

The same report said Emirates flights to Jeddah will resume on 30 October, while flights to Riyadh and Dammam will remain cancelled until 8 November. Etihad Airways has cancelled all flights to Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam until 5 November. US embassies have warned their citizens in the region about flight cancellations and airspace closures. Britain has advised against all non-essential travel to Saudi Arabia and against all travel within 10 kilometres of the Yemen border.

According to The Economic Times, Air India and IndiGo had suspended flights to Saudi Arabia until 24 October. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has extended its warning on flying over parts of the Gulf until 16 November.

According to Condé Nast Traveler, intermittent missile attacks by Yemen’s Houthis are targeting Saudi Arabia, while other Gulf countries have not been attacked since September. Britain has announced it will send RAF Typhoon aircraft to defend Saudi cities.