Riyadh Air has flown almost all of its Boeing 787-9 fleet away from its home base at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, after a week of Houthi attacks on the airport1. Flight tracking data reported by The Aviation Hub show three Dreamliners leaving Riyadh within 25 minutes of each other on the afternoon of Tuesday 13 October, two heading for AlUla and one for Madinah, while a fourth aircraft departed Jeddah with no destination listed1. The airline has not commented publicly on the movement of its fleet1. A series of attacks has killed at least 20 people over the past week2, and the airport has been closed since the missile strike on Saturday 10 October3.

Which aircraft moved

The first departure was HZ-RXAG at 12:16 UTC as RX8004, which was on approach to AlUla about an hour later1. HZ-RXAC followed at 12:32 UTC as RX8001 and descended towards Madinah, and HZ-RXAA left at 12:39 UTC as RX8002 on a track towards AlUla1. At 12:23 UTC, HZ-RXAE departed Jeddah as RX96751. None of the four showed a destination1. The three flights from Riyadh used numbers in the RX8000 range rather than scheduled flight numbers, a pattern The Aviation Hub says typically indicates positioning flights rather than commercial services1.

Three more aircraft, HZ-RXAB, HZ-RXAD and HZ-RXAF, were already on the ground at Jeddah1. The airline took delivery of its first new 787-9s in June 2026, and HZ-RXX, a leased jet that previously flew for Oman Air, serves as a technical spare and training aircraft1. Paddle Your Own Kanoo reports that Riyadh Air has taken delivery of eight 787-9s and that all of its destinations remain unserved until King Khalid reopens4. Aviation analytics firm Cirium recorded all 17 scheduled Riyadh Air departures as cancelled or not flown on Sunday 11 October5.

A week of attacks on Riyadh's airport

On 8 October, Saudia captain Hamoud Ali al-Kalthami was killed and one of the airline's aircraft was damaged while parked at the airport, with no passengers on board, the carrier confirmed6. Earlier strikes on Riyadh and Abha airports on 6 and 7 October killed three people and injured 36, Saudi aviation authorities said6. On Saturday 10 October, a strike on the airport killed 12 people and wounded 309, according to Saudi authorities, and an Indian citizen later died of his injuries2. Among the dead was Azza Ramzy, 28, a flight attendant with flynas7. A further attack on Sunday killed a Pakistani resident and wounded 11 people2.

The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) said the airport would remain closed "to complete the necessary procedures to verify the safety and operational readiness of the airport's facilities"2. A NOTAM published on 12 October, A3604/26, keeps the airport closed until 21:00 UTC on 17 October, although GACA has not announced a reopening date8. The Houthis have claimed responsibility and warned airlines against using Saudi airports and airspace9, with the exception of the airports of Mecca and Medina3. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree wrote that "the airports and airspace are exposed to targeting and constitute a theatre of operations for our forces"3.

How regulators frame the risk

EASA first issued a Conflict Zone Information Bulletin for Saudi Arabia on 30 September and revised it on 9 October; CZIB-2026-09-R1 covers the Jeddah FIR at all altitudes and flight levels and is valid until 16 November unless reviewed earlier10. EASA says recent attacks showed "a greater focus on aviation infrastructure than previously, increasing risks to aircraft on the ground and during take-off and landing in the affected areas"10. It also points to "an increased risk of misidentification of civil aircraft, as well as risks associated with missile and drone overflights, interception activity and falling debris"10.

The bulletin recommends that operators do not operate in two defined portions of Saudi airspace, exercise caution in the remainder of the Jeddah FIR, and "ensure that an up-to-date risk assessment and a high level of contingency planning are in place"10. The FAA has issued KICZ NOTAM A0056/26, an advisory for a potentially hazardous situation in the Jeddah FIR11. According to Aerospace Global News, the FAA warning cites military activity and possible interference with navigation systems and runs until 10 December5. The underlying international guidance is ICAO Doc 10084, which gives states, operators and air navigation service providers advice on risk assessments for civil aircraft operations over or near conflict zones12.

Why an airline disperses its fleet

EASA's bulletin explicitly flags risk to aircraft on the ground10, and this case shows why. A parked Saudia aircraft was damaged in the 8 October attack, and Reuters sources cited by AeroTime said the damage could have come from falling missile debris or a direct strike6. The Aviation Hub notes that AlUla and Madinah are not Riyadh Air bases, and argues that spreading the fleet across several airports reduces the risk of losing multiple aircraft in a single strike1. It adds that distance does not guarantee safety1. Restoring schedules depends not only on the airport reopening but also on security assessments, aircraft and crew positioning and restrictions on Saudi airspace, Air Data News notes13.

What this means for crew

Positioning flights are normally flown without passengers, but they still need crews, planning and up-to-date risk information. EASA tells operators to be prepared for short notice instructions from the state authorities and to follow all aeronautical publications for the region10. For pilots, that means route and destination briefings that can change at short notice, and contingency fuel and alternate planning when airports close. The deaths of a Saudia captain and a flynas flight attendant are a reminder that aviation staff at an airport under attack are exposed even when they are not flying67.

Frequently asked questions

What is an EASA Conflict Zone Information Bulletin?

A CZIB shares information that EASA, the European Commission and EU member states consider necessary for the safety of flights over zones of interest, and indicates areas of high risk10. It applies to EASA operators and to third country operators flying to, from and within the EU10.

When will Riyadh airport reopen?

The current NOTAM runs until 21:00 UTC on 17 October, but that is not a confirmed reopening date; GACA has not announced one8.