Three Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners operated by Riyadh Air departed King Khalid International Airport (RUH) in rapid succession on Tuesday, October 13. The widebody jets were flown to AlUla and Medina in western Saudi Arabia as the carrier moved its aircraft away from its main base. This relocation occurred during a week of sustained missile and drone attacks targeting the airport.
Flight tracking data indicates the aircraft took off at 3:16 PM, 3:32 PM, and 3:39 PM local time. The departures, operating under flight numbers RX8001, RX8002, and RX8004, represent a total window of just 23 minutes between the first and last takeoffs. HZ-RXAA and HZ-RXAG flew to AlUla International Airport (ULH), while HZ-RXAC (RX8001) traveled to Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport (MED) in Medina.
Rapid Relocation Amid Security Threats
Some sources reported that the aircraft departed under fighter jet escort amid the ongoing threat of Houthi attacks. A Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) had closed the airport until October 17. Neither the Royal Saudi Air Force nor Riyadh Air has confirmed the presence of fighter escorts. Simple Flying has reached out to the airline for additional information.
A fourth Riyadh Air Dreamliner, HZ-RXAE, was repositioned from Jeddah Airport (JED) to Lahore Allama Iqbal International Airport (LHE) in Pakistan. Lahore is one of the carrier’s two destinations in the country. Riyadh Air operates a total of eight 787 Dreamliners. The remaining four airframes are currently on the ground in Jeddah.
One aircraft, HZ-RXAB, has been parked since October 10. Two others, HZ-RXAD and HZ-RXAF, diverted to Jeddah on that day after Riyadh Airport closed. A training airframe, HZ-RXX, has remained in Jeddah since October 8.
Impact on Operations and Travelers
The airport has faced repeated strikes. The first death at the airport occurred on October 7. Further attacks on October 8 killed three Saudi citizens, including Saudia Captain Hamoud Ali Alkalthami, and seriously damaged a parked Saudia Airbus A320. The worst attack happened on Saturday when a passenger terminal was directly hit, resulting in 13 deaths and hundreds of injuries. The airport was hit again on Sunday, with further missile attacks being intercepted since then.
Riyadh Air has suspended flights across its entire network due to the sustained attacks on its home base. The airline’s website lists canceled services up until October 17, affecting all 15 of its destinations. Passengers booked to travel up to October 24 can change flights free of charge to another Riyadh Air flight within 21 days of the original date.
Data from aviation analytics company Cirium shows that more than 3,100 Saudi departures were canceled or not flown between October 8 and 14. Over this period, Riyadh Air canceled over 70% of its schedule. This highlights the scale of the disruption caused by the security situation. How long the airline’s operations will remain suspended depends on when the security situation allows flights to resume.
International carriers have also reacted to the instability. Delta Air Lines canceled its planned Atlanta-Riyadh service until March 2027 at the earliest. Several airlines, including Lufthansa Group carriers and Air France-KLM, have suspended flights to Riyadh. The Federal Aviation Administration issued a NOTAM valid until December 10, advising US carriers to exercise caution when flying to or over Saudi Arabia.
This disruption comes just four months after Riyadh Air operated its first scheduled service. Its inaugural flight took off from Riyadh to London Heathrow on June 10. The carrier currently flies with an all-787 fleet. It expects to take delivery of its first Airbus A321neo next month and will also operate the Airbus A350-1000.
Source: Simple Flying
