Delta delays Saudi Arabia nonstop flights after airport attacks
Delta Air Lines has postponed the launch of its nonstop service between Atlanta and Riyadh until March due to security concerns following deadly attacks at King Khalid International Airport. The decision follows an FAA warning regarding safety risks for U.S. aircraft operating in the region.
Why it matters
The delay highlights the impact of regional geopolitical instability on international commercial aviation and global travel logistics.
Delta Air Lines said it will delay the launch of its nonstop service between Atlanta and the Saudi capital Riyadh until March after several deadly attacks hit the city's airport there.
Delta planned to begin the route on Oct. 23, with an Airbus A350-900 wide-body plane, in what would have marked the first nonstop commercial flight between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia operated by a U.S. airline.
Since Thursday, more than 2,000 flights have been canceled to and from King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, according to FlightAware. The deadly attacks, claimed by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis, escalated Saturday, when a projectile struck a passenger terminal at the airport, officials said, killing at least 12 people and wounding more than 300.
King Khalid International Airport remains closed as of Monday.
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