Delta Air Lines Inc. announced it will postpone the start of its nonstop route connecting Atlanta and Saudi Arabia until next year, following drone and cruise missile strikes identified by the kingdom on Monday.
Shares of Delta Air Lines fell 1.87% on the news.
The airline's nonstop service between Atlanta and Riyadh is now scheduled to begin in March 2027, according to a company statement released Monday. The Federal Aviation Administration issued a caution to all US carriers on Sunday, advising them to be careful when flying to or across parts of Saudi Arabia at any altitude.
"The safety and security of our customers and employees always come first and continue to guide our operational decisions," Delta stated. "We remain in close contact with relevant government and aviation partners, including Saudia and Riyadh Air, as we monitor the situation."
Saudi officials on Monday prolonged the suspension of operations at King Khalid International Airport in the capital, Riyadh, where two separate attacks over the weekend killed at least 14 people and injured more than 300, many severely. King Fahd International Airport in Dammam was hit in a separate incident.
These events represent the deadliest strikes on Saudi Arabia since the Iran war started, occurring just a week after Saudi-led forces in Yemen initiated a campaign to recapture areas controlled by Iran-backed Houthi militia, including the Bab el-Mandeb strait, and to "eliminate" the group.
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