Riyadh Airport Closure Extended as Transport Ministry Monitors Transit Flights

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation at the Ministry of Transportation has responded to the extended closure of King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The closure follows a missile attack claimed by the Houthi group. Director General of Civil Aviation Lukman F Laisa said the ministry was continuing to monitor information from the Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) and the impact of the security incident on international flight operations, particularly transit flights connected to Indonesia.

“Based on our monitoring of airline operational information as at 13 October 2026, a number of transit flights connected to Riyadh have been cancelled, had their routes adjusted, or involved passengers’ itineraries being rearranged,” Lukman said in a written statement in Jakarta on Tuesday (13 October 2026).

Lukman said the situation was having particular effect on flights connecting to or from Riyadh via several international aviation hubs. Monitoring data showed that a number of international airlines had adjusted their services.

“Qatar Airways cancelled a number of Doha–Riyadh flights and return services from 9 to 17 October 2026, with passengers diverted via several alternative cities in Saudi Arabia,” he said.

Lukman said Emirates had also cancelled a number of flights to and from Riyadh. Meanwhile, other airlines had adjusted connections, rerouted flights, cancelled services or temporarily suspended flights to Riyadh.

“Direct flights from Indonesia to several countries, including Doha, India, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Manila, Sri Lanka, Istanbul, Ethiopia and Oman, listed in the report are still operating normally,” he said.

In light of the situation, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation urged Indonesians, particularly those planning to travel to or from Saudi Arabia, to follow official information from the local aviation authorities. Passengers were asked to contact their airlines about flight status and possible schedule changes. Lukman also urged passengers affected by cancellations or schedule changes to contact their respective airlines promptly.

“This is to obtain information about rescheduling and service provisions under the applicable policies. We ask airlines to uphold passengers’ rights, including rescheduling, refunds or rerouting, in accordance with the applicable regulations,” Lukman said.