Delta Air Lines said it will delay the launch of its nonstop service between Atlanta and the Saudi capital Riyadh until March after several deadly attacks hit the city's airport there.
Delta planned to begin the route on Oct. 23, with an Airbus A350-900 widebody plane, in what would have marked the first nonstop commercial flight between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia operated by a U.S. airline.
But since Thursday, thousands of flights have been canceled to and from King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, according to Flightradar24. The deadly attacks, claimed by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis, escalated Saturday, when a projectile struck a passenger terminal at the airport, officials said, killing at least 12 people and wounding more than 300.
King Khalid International Airport remains closed as of Monday.
"We remain in close contact with relevant government and aviation partners, including Saudia and Riyadh Air, as we monitor the situation," Delta said in a statement. "Saudi Arabia remains an important market for Delta, and we are committed to serving the Kingdom for the long-term."