Riyadh Air moves Dreamliners as Riyadh airport stays closed

Riyadh Air has paused every route and is relocating its Boeing 787-9 aircraft from the Saudi capital amid the threat of further Houthi missiles. King Khalid International Airport remains closed, leaving the airline’s service to destinations including London Heathrow, Manchester, Madrid, Dubai, Bangkok, Mumbai and Manila unavailable.

The shutdown followed two strikes over the weekend. Saturday’s missile hit Terminal 3, killing 12 people and injuring 309. Some of those hurt were still critically ill. A second missile passed through defensive systems the next day and struck Terminal 4, adding damage and causing more injuries despite the airport already being closed.

The disruption comes early in Riyadh Air’s development. Conceived in 2023, the carrier had aimed to begin passenger flights in late 2024, but aircraft delivery setbacks pushed that schedule back. Its first new jet arrived in June, and the fleet has since reached eight Dreamliners. Some planes departed Riyadh on Tuesday with military aircraft accompanying them, while other jets were already parked beyond the capital. The airport is not expected to resume operations before October 17, and the airline’s destinations will remain suspended until it does.