Travellers stranded by flight disruptions in Saudi Arabia are travelling overland to Qatar and Bahrain to catch commercial flights after attacks by Yemeni forces shut down Riyadh’s main airport, according to reports.
Yemeni attacks on Saudi Arabia and the closure of Riyadh’s main airport have triggered thousands of flight cancellations and a sharp rise in private jet charter costs, forcing some travelers to seek alternative airports and overland routes to leave the kingdom, the Financial Times reported.
More than 5,500 departing flights from Saudi airports have been cancelled since the attacks began, while airlines including Lufthansa and Italy’s ITA have suspended services to the country.
Amid the disruption, some travelers are turning to Al-Qassim Airport, more than 320 kilometers from Riyadh, to board private jets.
Others, unable to afford private charters, have travelled overland to neighboring Bahrain and Qatar to catch commercial flights.
The Financial Times reported that private jet charters from Saudi Arabia to Europe have reached as much as $150,000 in some cases.
The sharp increase has been driven by rising demand, fewer operators willing to provide services amid the security situation, and a steep rise in war-risk insurance costs.
According to the report, some aircraft operators have withdrawn services from Saudi Arabia, further reducing availability and pushing prices higher.
Several Western companies are also considering relocating senior staff based in Saudi Arabia, either to Dubai or back to their home countries, the newspaper reported.
