Riyadh airport closure disrupts life in Saudi capital, investment forum postponed

The prolonged closure of Riyadh's airport after a series of deadly Houthi attacks has disrupted businesses, airlines and residents, and the Future Investment Initiative forum has been pushed to 2027.

Riyadh's airport remains closed until further notice more than a week after flights were grounded following a series of deadly Houthi attacks, disrupting businesses, airlines and residents of the Saudi capital, AFP reported.

The Saudi-led coalition last week accused the Houthis of attacking Riyadh's airport 20 times in October alone. "The Houthis must immediately cease all terrorist operations," coalition spokesman Turki Al-Malki said. A regional airline source said authorities had told the carrier the airport would stay closed until further notice, while a source at another airline said it had been told the closure would last at least until Oct. 24.

A hall at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh

The kingdom's flagship Future Investment Initiative, dubbed "Davos in the desert," has been postponed to 2027, and other events, including a tennis tournament, have been canceled or postponed. Government agencies in Riyadh told employees to work from home starting Monday, as did the Kingdom Centre tower, which houses the International Monetary Fund's regional office, according to sources who spoke to the agency.

Domestic airlines have turned to alternative routes for the capital's seven million residents, including flights from Qassim airport, three hours from Riyadh, while others are taking buses to airports in Bahrain and Qatar to leave and enter the kingdom.

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