General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), Saudi Arabia

Stories

Houthi attacks on Saudi airports kill civilians, disrupt Gulf air travel

Extended the suspension of flight operations at Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport on November 4, saying it needed to verify the safety of facilities; two notices barring unrestricted access remained in force.

Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport remains closed to normal operations after Saudi Arabia's civil aviation authority extended its suspension on November 4, saying it needed to verify the safety of facilities. The Houthis claimed a ballistic missile hit the airport that day. On November 5 they said a drone struck King Fahd International Airport in Dammam and disrupted air traffic; Saudi authorities did not confirm either claim.

Updated 4 days ago

Riyadh Air bets on an ‘AI-native’ airline to rewire global aviation

New Capabilities

As of May 2026: Sets safety, licensing, and strategy framework under which Riyadh Air operates

Riyadh Air, Saudi Arabia's startup flag carrier, is what IBM and the airline call the world's first "AI-native" airline — built from day one around AI-driven, cloud-based systems, not retrofitted legacy IT. Launched in March 2023 under Vision 2030, the airline has ordered large fleets from Boeing and Airbus and aims to connect over 100 destinations and serve millions of travelers by 2030 through Riyadh's planned mega-hub.

Updated May 10