Riyadh Air's flights now leave from a different city
Riyadh Air was built to turn Riyadh into a global hub. As of today, some of its flights out of the capital start with a four-and-a-half-hour bus ride.
From October 25, Riyadh Air says its flights between Riyadh and six cities operate via Al Qassim Airport (ELQ), north of the capital, according to the airline's own travel update. The six are Cairo, Jeddah, Dhaka, London Heathrow, Lahore and Islamabad.
The move follows weeks of Houthi missile and drone attacks on Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport, including strikes that killed people at the airport. Our earlier reports cover the attack that killed a Saudia pilot and the later attack that killed 12. Our thoughts are with the families of those who died.
How the Al Qassim workaround works
Riyadh Air gives passengers two options.
Option 1: check in downtown and take the coach. You check in at the InterContinental Durrat Al Riyadh hotel. Check-in opens 8 hours 15 minutes before your flight and closes 6 hours 30 minutes before. You drop your bags and show your documents there.
The free coach leaves 6 hours 15 minutes before departure. You show your boarding pass to board, and the ride takes about 4 hours 30 minutes. You reach Al Qassim about 1 hour 45 minutes before your flight. Bags are checked through, so you go straight to security and passport control.
Option 2: make your own way. Riyadh Air says to allow about four hours by car from Riyadh. Arrive at least three hours early. Check-in opens three hours before departure and closes 1 hour 15 minutes before.
Do the math on Option 1 and it is stark. A London flight that once meant a short drive to the airport now means checking in more than eight hours ahead.
The airline's page also lists questions about a lounge at Al Qassim, chauffeur service for Business guests, and whether the coach earns Sfeer points. Riyadh Air's loyalty program is called Sfeer. If those details matter to you, check the answers on the airline's page before you go, since they may change.
Why not just fly from Riyadh?
Riyadh's airport is not fully shut. AeroTime reported that King Khalid announced on October 25 that it would reopen, with Terminal 1 for domestic flights and Terminal 2 for international flights. The same report said Saudi Arabia announced on October 25 that it had intercepted 10 ballistic missiles launched by the Houthis toward the south of the country.
Riyadh Air had already canceled its domestic and international flights through October 24, Inside Aviation reported, citing the airline's site. Saudia and flynas have also been sending Riyadh passengers through Al Qassim and other airports, then by road to the capital, the same outlet reported.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Riyadh Air CEO Tony Douglas told staff in a company-wide note earlier this month that the airline would never operate a flight or keep people working in a building unless it was confident in its safety.
The threat is wider than Riyadh. On October 21, a Houthi attack hit Dammam's airport on the Gulf coast. Our Dubai return-dates story and Saudi airspace explainer cover how airlines and regulators have reacted.
A young airline under pressure
The timing is brutal for a carrier that only started flying this year. Riyadh Air's first two Boeing 787-9s were delivered in June. On October 4 the airline said it had grown to 10 aircraft and 15 destinations in less than four months. In the same release it showed off its first 787-9 in its indigo-and-lavender livery, fresh from Boeing's paint shop in South Carolina.
On October 5, Riyadh Air opened sales for three weekly flights from Riyadh to Jakarta starting November 16. It called Jakarta its 16th destination on sale. Riyadh Air's media hub also lists Milan sales and recent launches to Manchester, Manila and Bangkok.
None of those routes are on the Al Qassim list. Riyadh Air's update does not say what happens to them. If you hold a ticket on any route not named above, check your booking in the Riyadh Air app or with your travel agent.
What to do if you are booked
- Check your departure airport. Riyadh Air says your booking will show your confirmed airport.
- Build in the time. If you are taking the coach, plan around the 8-hour-15-minute check-in window, not your departure time.
- Know your rights. If your flight was canceled or changed, see our Middle East guide on refunds and rebooking.
Riyadh Air has not said how long the Al Qassim plan will last.
