Two Riyadh Air Boeing 787s Depart Riyadh Despite NOTAM Closure

Two Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners operated by Saudi Arabian carrier Riyadh Air, registered HZ-RXAC and HZ-RXAA, reportedly departed King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on October 13. The aircraft movements were tracked on Flightradar24.

King Khalid International Airport had been closed to flight operations following attacks carried out by Yemen’s Houthis.

According to the published NOTAM, the airport was scheduled to remain closed until October 17, 2026, at 21:00 UTC (October 18 at 00:00 Saudi Arabian local time).

The departures may have been conducted under special flight authorisations. However, no official explanation has been issued regarding the aircraft movements.