• Gulf Air has cancelled all flights to and from Riyadh from October 12 to 17, according to a post on X.
  • The move follows deadly attacks on King Khalid International Airport and a widened European airspace warning.
  • The suspension highlights escalating risks to civil aviation in Saudi Arabia amid regional conflict.

Gulf Air, Bahrain’s national carrier, has suspended flights to and from Riyadh from October 12 to 17, the airline announced in a post on X. The decision comes as attacks on Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport have severely disrupted operations, prompting multiple international airlines to halt services to the Saudi capital.

The immediate cause is airport access and regional security, not an airline-specific financial or operational crisis. On October 11, 353 of 354 scheduled departures from Riyadh were cancelled or not flying, according to aviation data firm Cirium. The attacks, which began on October 8, have killed at least three people, with subsequent strikes reported on October 10.

Airport Closure and International Response

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) expanded its conflict-zone advisory on October 9 to include additional Saudi territory, citing risks from missile and drone activity, air-defence interceptions, falling debris, and possible misidentification of civilian aircraft. The warning is a safety recommendation, not a blanket closure of Saudi airspace, but it has prompted a wave of suspensions.

Lufthansa Group (LHA.DE) has suspended Riyadh services through October 16. Emirates, Etihad, flydubai, and Air Arabia (AIRARABIA.AE) have also cancelled or altered Saudi flights. Riyadh Air has paused operations, while other carriers initially continued overflying Saudi territory, underscoring that airport operations and overflight availability are separate considerations.

“We are constantly monitoring the situation and will resume flights as soon as conditions allow,” a Gulf Air spokesperson said, without providing a specific restart date. The airline did not respond to further requests for comment on the financial impact of the suspension.

Financial and Operational Pressures

Gulf Air, owned by Bahrain’s Mumtalakat sovereign wealth fund, carries over 6.6 million passengers annually and operates a network of more than 60 destinations. In 2025, it reported a seat load factor of 81.6%, up from 77.0% in 2024, but the airline has been loss-making, with management targeting break-even by 2027.

The cancellation window is likely to reduce ticket and cargo revenue while adding refund and passenger-assistance costs. The airline’s cargo volume reached 77.7 million kilograms in 2025, and any prolonged disruption could weigh on its financial recovery. However, no specific loss estimates have been disclosed.

“The priority is passenger safety, and we are rebooking affected travellers on alternative flights where possible,” the spokesperson added. Passengers are advised to verify their bookings before travelling to the airport.

Wider Implications for Saudi Aviation

King Khalid International Airport handled 296,800 flights in 2025, or approximately 813 daily, making it Saudi Arabia’s second-busiest airport after Jeddah. Its disruption affects far more than Bahrain–Riyadh travel, impacting connecting passengers, business travel, and tourism across the region.

The security backdrop involves Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis, who have claimed attacks on Riyadh airport and threatened airlines using Saudi airspace. Their warnings are not government regulations, but they influence airline risk assessments. The US embassy has warned of possible cancellations and airspace closures, affecting foreign nationals as well as regional travellers.

Gulf Air has previously altered services due to regional conflict, including suspending Tel Aviv flights after the 2023 Israel–Gaza war. This suspension is an escalation of an existing disruption, not an isolated event. EASA first issued a conflict-zone bulletin on September 30, with attacks on October 8 and 10 prompting the latest cancellations.

Outlook and Uncertainty

The central question is whether airport operations and security conditions can be restored before October 17. If not, further cancellations and a longer recovery period are likely. Aviation-risk organisation OPSGROUP has recommended avoiding Saudi operations entirely, including as a diversion alternative.

“The risk to commercial aircraft was initially assessed as minimal, but the situation has deteriorated rapidly,” said aviation analyst John Grant. “Airlines are now making decisions based on dynamic security assessments rather than demand.”

A short interruption would primarily be a passenger-service and schedule-recovery problem. Repeated disruption would pose a more substantial challenge to Gulf Air’s growth plans and financial targets. The airline’s CEO, Martin Gauss, has outlined a strategy extending to 2035, including partnerships and a digital operations-control initiative called “Falcon Eye.”

As of October 12, no verified date for Gulf Air’s restart has been provided. The airline’s post on X remains the primary source for the cancellation window, and the broader disruption is corroborated by multiple reports.

Correction: An earlier version of this article misstated the number of departures cancelled on October 11. It was 353 of 354, not 353 of 354 total flights.