Britain now advises against all but essential travel to Saudi Arabia, extending its warning to the whole kingdom after repeated Houthi missile and drone attacks on Saudi airports, according to updated guidance from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).
The guidance, updated on Friday, October 16, keeps the FCDO’s advice against all travel within 10 km of the border with Yemen. It replaces earlier warnings that covered specific provinces, cities and most Saudi airports, Arabian Business reported.
The FCDO said travel insurance could be invalidated for anyone who travels against its advice. It said further attacks on airports, along with disruption and cancellations, were “very likely.”
It advised British nationals who want to leave Saudi Arabia to consider traveling by land to a neighboring country and flying from there.
Australia has raised its advice for Saudi Arabia to “do not travel,” which also rules out transit, SBS News reported, citing the government’s Smartraveller website. Australians who wish to leave were told to do so “while commercial options remain available” and to consider road or rail routes to hubs including Abu Dhabi and Doha.
King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh is scheduled to stay closed until 21:00 GMT on Saturday, October 17, under the latest notice to airmen. The General Authority of Civil Aviation extended the suspension on October 12 to verify the safety and operational readiness of the airport’s facilities, the Saudi Press Agency reported. Saudi authorities have not confirmed when normal operations will resume.
About 46% of the 8,883 departures scheduled across Saudi Arabia between October 8 and October 15 were cancelled or did not operate, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium, Gulf Business reported. In Riyadh, 298 of 366 departures scheduled for October 15, or 81.4%, were cancelled or did not operate.
Etihad Airways has cancelled all flights between Abu Dhabi and Riyadh and between Abu Dhabi and Dammam through Sunday, October 18, according to its travel advisory. flydubai has extended cancellations to Riyadh, Dammam and Abha up to and including Monday, October 19. Qatar Airways has suspended Riyadh and Dammam services without a resumption date.
The Houthis have launched 20 attacks on King Khalid International Airport since the start of October, killing 17 people and injuring 333, Major General Turki Al-Malki, spokesperson for the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen, said on Thursday.
The Asian Tour said on Friday that the Saudi International golf tournament, scheduled for Riyadh in November, had been postponed indefinitely.
