Lufthansa Group airlines will suspend flights to Riyadh through 16 October after renewed security concerns around King Khalid International Airport in the Saudi capital. The temporary move affects the group’s services to Riyadh and comes as other carriers also adjusted schedules following reported attacks and disruptions at the airport.
The suspension follows fresh Houthi threats and claims of a strike on Riyadh airport, with smoke reported near a stationary aircraft and widespread cancellations across the airport network. Flight-tracking data showed a large share of departures cancelled during the day, pointing to significant operational disruption for international traffic into the Saudi capital.
Lufthansa’s decision adds to a broader wave of precautionary airline action in the region, rather than indicating a permanent withdrawal from the route. Air India also suspended Riyadh services in the same period, underscoring how quickly carriers are reacting to security developments in the Middle East. For Lufthansa, one of Europe’s largest network airlines, the pause highlights the sensitivity of long-haul scheduling to sudden changes in regional risk and airport access.