RIYADH: Thousands of passengers travelling to and from King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh were left stranded as major airlines struggled to offer alternative flights following a slew of cancellations and delays.
Saudia and flyadeal were among the aviation firms who faced difficulties, with the two airlines putting out statements blaming temporary operational challenges for the issues.
A statement from the airport on its official X account urged travelers to contact airlines directly before heading to the aviation hub to verify the updated status and timing of their flights.
The statement said: “King Khalid International Airport would like to inform you that, due to the concurrence of a number of operational factors over the past two days —including several flights diverting from other airports to King Khalid International Airport, in addition to scheduled maintenance works within the fuel supply system — this has resulted in an impact on the schedules of some flights, including the delay or cancellation of a number of flights operated by certain airlines.”
The airport added that operational teams are working “around the clock in close coordination with our airline partners and relevant stakeholders to address developments and restore operational regularity as soon as possible”, while taking all necessary measures to minimize any impact on the passenger experience.
