Delta Air Lines announced it would delay the launch of nonstop service between Atlanta and Riyadh until March, pushing back a route originally scheduled to begin on Oct. 23. The airline had planned to operate the service with an Airbus A350-900 wide-body aircraft, marking what would have been the first nonstop commercial flight between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia operated by a U.S. carrier.
The decision followed a series of attacks on Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport. According to flight tracking data, more than 2,000 flights were canceled to and from the facility in the days following the initial attacks. On Saturday, a projectile struck a passenger terminal, killing at least 12 people and wounding more than 300 individuals. The attacks were claimed by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis. As of Monday, the airport remained closed.
Delta said it was maintaining close contact with government and aviation partners, including Saudia and Riyadh Air, while monitoring developments. The airline noted that Saudi Arabia remained an important market and expressed commitment to serving the country long-term. Delta CEO Ed Bastian had stated on Thursday that safety considerations would determine whether the service launch would be postponed.
The Federal Aviation Administration issued a warning on Sunday for U.S. airlines, advising pilots to exercise caution in or around Saudi Arabia due to safety-of-flight risks associated with military activities and navigation systems. The warning was set to remain in effect until Dec. 10 and noted that threats could pose risks to aircraft at all altitudes. Multiple countries, including the U.S. and Australia, issued travel advisories for the region, and airlines suspended various flights to the airport.
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