After a major airport in Saudi Arabia came under attack, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a warning to American airlines about the safety risks of flying in or near Saudi airspace.
Delta Air Lines had planned to launch its first direct route from Atlanta to Riyadh later this month, but it had not yet confirmed whether it would proceed as scheduled.
An official video screenshot captured the moment of the attack on Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport in Saudi Arabia on October 10, 2026, with surveillance footage showing thick smoke and people taking cover at the scene.
A deadly attack by Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen forced the closure of the Saudi capital's airport. The FAA told US airlines to exercise extreme caution when flying in or around Saudi airspace.
The attacks unfolded over the past week; as of Monday, Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport remained closed. Officials said a projectile struck the airport's passenger terminal during Saturday's attack, killing at least 12 people and injuring more than 300 others. Multiple airlines suspended flights to the airport, with some suspensions extending through the remainder of the week.
The United States, Australia and several other countries have urged their citizens to avoid traveling to the region.
The FAA issued a notice late Sunday stating that "due to ongoing military activity and air navigation system-related flight safety risks," pilots must remain vigilant when flying in Saudi airspace and surrounding areas. The notice warned that the threat poses a potential risk to aircraft at all altitudes, and the warning remains in effect until December 10.
Most US airlines did not previously operate routes to Saudi Arabia.
Delta Air Lines had originally planned to launch its first direct flight from Atlanta to Riyadh on October 23. However, following the FAA warning, the airline announced Monday morning that it would postpone the route's launch until March of the following year.
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