Delta Air Lines said Monday it will delay the launch of nonstop service between Atlanta and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, until March 2027, citing drone and cruise missile attacks detected in the country.
The carrier had planned to begin the route on October 23 using an Airbus A350-900 wide-body aircraft. The service would have marked the first nonstop commercial flight between the United States and Saudi Arabia operated by a U.S. airline.
Riyadh's airport has been targeted by multiple deadly attacks claimed by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis. The Federal Aviation Administration issued a warning Sunday to all U.S. airlines to exercise caution flying to or over parts of Saudi Arabia at all altitudes.
Delta's decision to postpone the debut reflects heightened security concerns in the region. The airline cited the recent attacks as the reason for pushing back the service launch by approximately five months.