Delta has postponed the launch of flights to Saudi Arabia due to Houthi attacks on airports

Delta Air Lines will postpone the launch of direct flights between Atlanta and the Saudi Arabian capital, Riyadh, until March following several attacks by Yemeni Houthis on the city’s airport, according to a company statement. Delta had planned to launch the service on October 23 and operate the flights using wide-body Airbus A350-900 aircraft. This flight was set to be the first direct commercial flight between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia, CNBC notes.

Since Thursday, thousands of arriving and departing flights have been canceled at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh—about half of those scheduled, according to data from Flightradar24. On Saturday, at least 14 people were killed and more than 300 were injured as a result of two strikes on the international airport in Riyadh, Bloomberg reports. The Iran-backed Yemeni Houthis claimed responsibility for the attack. King Fahd International Airport in Dammam was also targeted in a separate attack.

“We continue to maintain close contact with the relevant government agencies and partners in the aviation industry, including Saudia and Riyadh Air, and are monitoring the situation,” the airline said in a statement. “Saudi Arabia remains an important market for Delta, and we intend to operate in the Kingdom for the long term.”

Delta announced the rescheduling after the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Sunday urged U.S. airlines to exercise increased caution when flying over Saudi Arabia and near its airspace “due to flight safety risks associated with ongoing military operations.” The warning remains in effect until December 10.

Amid the escalation, Brent and WTI crude oil futures rose by more than 2% during trading on Monday, October 12, reaching $106.7 and $93.7 per barrel, respectively.

Delta Air Lines shares fell 1.6% to $80.8.

This article was AI-translated and verified by a human editor