Europe’s aviation safety authority, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), announced on Friday that it is expanding the area of Saudi Arabian airspace where it recommends airlines not operate. The move follows recent missile and drone attacks by Yemen’s Iran‑aligned Houthi forces on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh.
Expanded advisory covers northwestern Saudi Arabia
In an update to a conflict‑zone information bulletin first issued on September 30, EASA said the latest attacks demonstrated the Houthi’s ability and intent to strike deeper inside Saudi territory, including the capital. The agency added a new advisory zone in northwestern Saudi Arabia, warning of increased risk of misidentification of civil aircraft, missile and drone over‑flights, interception activity and falling debris.
Local impact on airlines and travelers
Following the attacks, Lufthansa Group and three Indian carriers announced they would suspend scheduled flights to Riyadh in the coming days. OPSGROUP, a membership‑based organization that shares flight‑risk information with nearly 10,000 aviation professionals, issued a “do not fly” warning for Saudi Arabia, citing the risk of sustained missile attacks and potential misjudgment in defensive responses.
“We now recommend avoiding operations in Saudi Arabia entirely, including the use of Saudi airports as en‑route alternates,” the OPSGROUP memo read.
Casualties and airport activity
Saudi Arabia’s civil aviation authority reported that three Saudi nationals were killed and several people injured in two attacks on King Khalid International Airport on Thursday. The airport, Saudi Arabia’s second‑busiest after Jeddah, handled 296,800 flights in 2025 – roughly 813 flights per day, according to the General Authority for Statistics.
Flight tracking service FlightRadar24 showed that by 1305 GMT on Friday, 131 flights to and from Riyadh had been cancelled, adding to hundreds of cancellations the previous day.
Safety concerns and broader implications
EASA emphasized that the recurrent missile and drone attacks, combined with the activation of Saudi air‑defence systems, increase the risk of civil aircraft being misidentified. The agency’s advisory is intended to help airlines assess the safety of routes that cross Saudi airspace and to protect passengers and crew from potential harm.
While the advisory is non‑binding, it reflects a growing consensus among aviation professionals that the security environment over Saudi Arabia has deteriorated. Airlines that choose to continue operations will need to weigh the risk against commercial considerations and may seek alternative routing to avoid the warned zones.
What travelers should know
Passengers with tickets to Riyadh are advised to check with their airlines for the latest status of their flights. Those whose flights are cancelled or delayed should monitor airline communications for rebooking options or refunds. The expanded advisory underscores the importance of staying informed about evolving security conditions when planning international travel.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
